Serendipity: A Chance Encounter
by aisha12894
Summary: Hao has finally begun to understand his life purpose after the Shaman King fight when his twin brother Yoh and his long time fiancee Ana decide to tie the knot and Hao is there! Someone from his past may stir up some old and new feelings inside of him!
1. Chapter 1

'_I can't believe that I'm going to go…' _a young man thought to himself as he stuff both of his hands inside of his dark blue denim jeans as his white dress shirt shift from the sudden change in movement. He pull out a set of keys and unlock the door that lift upward instead of opening outwards.

An elaborate white decorated envelope placed on the surface of his passenger seat when he entered on the driver's side of the new red Ferrari F430 Spider, which was an earlier twenty-second birthday present for not killing anyone that whole year.

It was true that his past was a very dark shadow that still loomed over his head especially when he would go to sleep. He recalled all of the lives that suffered from his wraith during the Shaman fights but due to having no feelings it did not particularly bother him.

He was surprised when his twin Yoh had accepted him with open arms as everyone looked at him with disdain or hateful stares and who could blame them. After all, he was hell-bent on taking over the world and killing all of those who revolted against him.

Yet that was all in the past as Yoh's friends were slow to warm up to him, _'At least not everyone that is…' _he thought to himself once he recalled that one particular person who did not immediately get over their anger toward him and who could blame her.

His Spirit of Fire did consume her shaman spirit which she affectionately named it as Shamash. She had to suffer with trying to maintain her power through her hatred and self-inflicting pain all while inside of that heavy scrap metal that was called an Iron Maiden.

The beeping noise bring him out of his thoughts of the past when he insert his key in his car before cranking up the DOH 32 valve V-8 that give him the power to satisfy his need for speed.

The white four and a half inch by six and a half catch his eyes again as he reach over to pick up the envelope and open it to see elaborate handwriting that was written "You have been cordially invited to the wedding of Asakura Yoh and Kyoyama Anna."

The date was set for March 20 and the time was at noon and the end time was not visibly written and the RSVP date along with the number to call if you were planning to attend.

'_It's about time those two got married.' _The young man thought as he recalled how his twin had somehow talked him into being the best man for the wedding after he attended his bachelor party for ulterior motives rather than going to see his twin.

The news came as a surprise to him. He would have not mind being just a groomsmen and thought that he would have chosen someone who knew him longer than he did to be his best man, but it did not seem that his friend mind either and looked as if they supported the vote unanimously.

'_I swear I don't deserve to have Yoh as my baby brother.' _He thought as he place the envelope back on the passenger seat.

He shift the stick of the sports car into reverse, pull out of the driveway, shift it into drive, push the accelerator, and fly down the street way.

1111

A young girl with long curly silver hair and red colored pupils had fallen on to the white envelope that was delivered to her two weeks ago. it was the main reason as to why she was about to land in America.

"Are you excited Jeanee-sama?" a young boy with short light green hair with green eyes that match his hair color ask as he lift his torso from the blue cushioned airplane seat.

"That I am a bridesmaid in Yoh and Anna's wedding or that I was even invited to the wedding?" the young woman name Jeanne question the same traveling companion.

"Why not Jeanne-sama? Obviously, they treat you as a close friend that's why they invited you and that's why you are going to be a bridesmaid." A man with blonde hair who was wearing square rimmed glasses lean to his right in order to speak to her.

"Beside you aren't just any bridesmaid...you are the maid of honor, Jeanne-sama." Her green haired companion gush as she ponder should she be feeling how he is at the moment.

"It seem as if Lyserg is more excited than you are about the wedding, Jeanne-sama." The blonde haired man mention. Jeanne glance over to Lyserg and notice the wide smile that adorn his face.

Jeanne could not help but giggle at Marco's successful attempt at a joke before the pilot's voice speak over the intercom. "We're about to arrive now. Make sure your trays are secured in their upright position and fasten your seatbelts."

"We're about to arrive. All of the butterflies should be gone when you see Anna again." The man name Marco claim before leaning back into the airplane seat and refasten his seatbelt.

'_If you say so. I just can't help but get the feeling that I'm not going to like it.' _ As someone's image soon flash in her head when the thought run through her head causing a shiver crawl up her spine from the image.

"Are you alright, Jeanne-sama? You look a little pale." Lyserg concern voice bring her out of her thoughts before she could give an answer to calm his tone down the plane jerk meaning the landing gear emerge from underneath the airplane.

"I can't get over the fact when the plane start to drop whenever we begin to land." Jeanne complain, as she had been accustom to riding in planes while being in the Iron Maiden but did not want to reveal what was actually bothering her.

Lyserg offer her a sympathetic nod as he could tell relief were in each other's sight when the plane's wheels connect with the asphalt of the landing and runway.

1111

When the young man arrive at the designated location, he notice that the church was enormous compared to the other chapels that he pass along the way. There was a rather long semicircle driveway through which would be where Anna would walk through.

It was a rather decent location for a church as nature seem to come alive around him. He drive pass the main entrance and pull into the area where the other guests were planning to park at once they arrive at the church.

Much to his pleasure, he spots his twin standing on the sidewalk along with a couple of his friends who was participating in the wedding. He notice a parking space about two spaces down from where they were conversing at.

The young man quickly turn off his car's engine. He could no longer feel his car vibrate from pressing his foot against the acceleration pedal the entire drive to the church.

"Hao, I'm glad you could make it! I see you got yourself an early birthday present." His twin speak up, as he place his hands in his green pants' pockets, sandals, and a white shirt that was remarkably similar to Hao's shirt when he stroll over to Hao's brand new car.

His twin release a wolf whistle when he made his way around the car before looking back at Hao. "You so totally spoil yourself you know that?" he mention in his typical carefree attitude that brings a smile to Hao's face.

Leave it to Yoh, to make something funny with his aloof attitude, which Hao was appreciative and secretly jealous of but he was not going to let him know that...at least not now.

"It's your big day, baby bro! You can see it later when you come back from your honeymoon." Hao quickly change the subject between the two.

"That's if he comes back alive. Anna is a slave driver, you know." A young man with spiky blue hair and black eyes, which they identify him as Usui Horokeu but was better known by his nickname Horohoro.

"Slave driver is a compliment." A young man with medium length hair states, as his golden eyes cut toward Hao, Yoh, and Horohoro from where they were standing in the group.

"Agreed." A rather buff dark skin man agrees which Hao identify to be Chocolove cross his arms over his chest.

"Where's Ryu and Faust VII? I'm surprise that they didn't beat me here." Hao ask about the presence of the two missing comrades of Yoh.

"They'll be here. Knowing Faust, he probably went to go visit Elizabeth again so I had sent Ryu on a 'mission' to make sure that he didn't get sidetrack after all…he is the organ player." Yoh answer his twin question, which receive a nod of approval from the rest of the group.

"So are you ready to go and get your butt kicked into martial bliss?" someone joke among them as they all seem to share in the joke together before they all file into the side entrance of the church.

1111

"Marco, are we following the schedule?" Jeanne inquire about their agenda when she twiddled her interlace fingers which were settled on top of her long white skirt.

"Don't worry Jeanne-sama, you won't be late. Its a good thing that we took precaution and left at an earlier time. There were news reports that a storm was brewing over Paris during the later part of the morning." Marco reassure the silver haired girl who seem nervous with every mile that they came near the church.

"I'm glad that you thought of it. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I were to miss Yoh and Anna's wedding." Jeanne express some of her feelings about attending the wedding.

"Jeanna-sama, take deep breathes, you're acting as if you are the one getting married today." Lyserg tease her.

He notice that Marco gave him a reprimand stare, as he knew that was not the proper thing to say.

"Its alright Marco. I happen to enjoy Lyserg's sarcasm since it doesn't make me nervous. The same as with you and your attempt at jokes Marco. I am blessed to have such a wonderful family that surround me." She answer causing both men in the car face to blush red from embarrassment.

Jeanne find her attention drift toward the ever changing landscape with towering sky scrappers of the metro area that shift to open green grazing lands that were suited for agriculture.

'_I wonder what it would be like to run a farm?' _ She thought to herself. She could not help but to wear a small smirk as she still had child like dreams that would even surprise her at times.

"We are here, Jeanne-sama." Marco announce to her. Her attention seem to have refocus on to the scenery that was around her.

The entrance boast two twin columns on the side of the road with subtle landscaping as they can feel the unpredictable asphalt shift to smoother roads.

As their speed came to a cruising condition, she notice that the church reminded her of the chapel that she stays in when she's in Paris.

It was only just a scaled down version to the point that it only had the basic enmities that would pass as a real life version.

There was a U-shaped driveway that would deliver the bride into the church so that she could walk down the aisle of the church.

Suddenly she could feel her anxiousness starting to get the best of her. When Marco drive pass the front of the cathedral, she was left in awe at the complete view of the entrance.

"It seem as if we have to park in this parking lot." Marco inform his leader of the reason why he drive past the entrance and was heading to another parking lot immediately noticing a variety of cars that were park.

1111

Yoh can hear his twin let out a whistle of appreciation at their current surroundings when the thought of how could Yoh afford it cross his mind.

"I swear you two are just a like with that whistling." Tao state once Yoh lead them to the groom's suite in the cathedral after Hao mimic the same move that Yoh did early when he notice Hao's car.

"What can I say? It's in the genes." Hao simply answer his question causing his trademark smile to appear on his face after hearing the comparison from the young man.

"This is it." Yoh annouce with a carefree tone that he was rather known for. He place one of his hands on the brass knob, turn the lock until they hear a click noise, and the door pop open.

Yoh push the door open to allow every single last one of his companions to enter inside of the area.

It appear to be a normal size room except for the extravagant taste in furniture. It boast meticulous spacing for any large party who use it to prepare before a wedding.

Yoh and Hao let out another whistle of appreciation as the group flank out to see what else the space had to offer for the groom and his groomsmen.

A hard knock rasp against the door causing everyone to turn their attention toward one another before focusing in on who would be the one to open the door.

Yoh accept the task and make his way over to the door and open it. It was none other than…


	2. Chapter 2

Hao open the door to see a man with a silver coat rack inside the grip of his hand, which hold their black and white tuxedos.

He move aside so the man could pull the rack in as they can hear the sound of the wheels squeaking as it roll over the threshold of the door. The noise sort of irk him but decide that it was something minor and let it pass right over his head.

"Which one of you is…" the man glance down at the paper in his free hand to read the name off of it, "Yoh Asakura?"

Hao watch as his other half stumble through the crowd of his groomsmen with a goof grin on his face when he proclaim, "I'm right here…oh the suits are here!"

"So are you guys just going to stand around and look at the suits? I mean they are fitted for you all." Yoh jokes with his friends after signing his signature on the dotted line with the large "X" on the right of the line.

1111

"Marco, are you sure this is the right church because I don't want to walk in on anyone else wedding?" Jeanne express her concern for being at the wrong church once Marco help her out of the car.

"Jeanne!" a rather loud girly voice shout toward the silver haired girl.

She turn and spot a young woman with long hair that reach just below her hips with her blue hair resemble the color of ice.

Jeanne immediately recognize who it was from their hair color of her hair exactly who it was as she runs to meet her in a hug, "How have you been, Pirika?"

The girl name Pirika break away from the hug first to get a good look at Jeanne. She notice that Jeanne was wearing a maid's dress that match her hair color with a frilly white apron that seem to suit her personality.

"You haven't change that much from the last time I saw you except you grew a little taller and your hair has grew longer." Pirika say after she asses Jeanne when she fully separated away from her.

"I see that you are still wearing your favorite color. Oh and you cut your hair a little." Jeanne mention after conducting her own examination of the young woman that was standing before her.

She can hear Marco and Lyserg give their greetings to Pirika once they were standing next to her.

"Hey, Lyserg shouldn't you be in there getting your tux?" Pirika pose to Lyserg since she was wondering why he was still standing outside when he was suppose to be getting dress.

"Speaking of getting dressed, don't you two lovely ladies need to head in so you can get your dresses on?" Marco question when he watch the two girls turn their heads to face him with a look of shock.

"I completely forgot about that! Anna had sent me out here to find you since she knew you probably would be in panic mode." Pirika mention as she bring the side of her fist into her other hand palm, as if she just remembered what she was suppose to do.

"And you continue to waste Ms. Anna's precious time and I don't think you want to do that, know do we?" Marco joke but was quite serious when he remind the pair as they were already on the move before he finish his statement.

'_Girls…' _he thought as a smile was on his face, as he makes sure that their rental car was lock up tight.

1111

"Are you sure about marrying Anna? I mean I don't want you to get cold feet and try to run away with a hot blooded Anna on your trail?" Horohoro pose to Yoh when he place one foot after another into the black tuxedo pants.

Yoh glance around to see that his friends were equally curious about the answer to that question when he places his trademark smile on his face.

"I guess we will take that as a yes then." Chocolove say since they all knew that the smile meant that everything was going to be okay for Yoh.

"Whose all in this wedding of yours?" Tao inquire about the people who were suppose to be in the wedding since he never made it to any of the wedding rehearsals due to family issues in China.

"Well, you already know that Hao is the Best man and he is going to escort the Maid of Honor. Horohoro is going to walk Tamao down, then its Tao with Pirika, Chocolove is going to walk Tao Jun and then Lyserg is going to be the last one down the aisle." Yoh explain in lad terms as he can feel his other half stare at him with an inquisitive look on his face.

"_Who_ exactly is the Maid of Honor?" Hao inquire about the identity of the woman, who he is suppose to escort down the aisle after he pause from buttoning his white dress shirt up.

Yoh knew that if he had hesitated than Hao would be suspicious and the surprise would be ruin. If he answered it too quickly then Hao would have known that he had something up his sleeve when a thought came to his mind.

"Anna wanted it to be kept under wraps since she was afraid that the girls would literally fight each other over that position." Yoh spoke truthfully but her rather beat around the bush when he answer Hao's question.

Yoh watch as Hao glance at him briefly as if contemplating whether to believe that answer or not when another rasp of knocks were heard against the door.

"Hold on," Chocolove decide that he would open the door this time since it probably was something that the man forgot to deliver to them.

1111

"This is really nice," Jeanne proclaim as she made sure to keep her voice at a minimal since they were currently standing inside the lobby of the cathedral.

"You haven't seen anything yet. You should really see the groom's and bride's dressing room, now those are nice." Pirika whisper to her as she guide Jeanne up a flight of stairs that was covered in brown carpet.

Jeanne notice that they arrived at a medium size wooden door when Pirika knock on the door with a certain beat as a brief two seconds passes by and there was a young girl with medium length pink hair looking at them.

"Jeanne is that you?" she ask when the pink haired girl step out to get a good look at Jeanne.

"I know. That's what I said when I saw her too, Tamao, hasn't she changed?" Pirika ask the pink haired girl name Tamao when she notice that she was now examining Jeanne.

"How about you three catch up in here? After all, we don't want to allow the guys to have a sneak peek at us while we are getting ready, know do we?" a slightly older woman with green hair and purple eyes voice can be heard as the trio made their way inside of the room.

"Pirika, you were right! This doesn't hold a candlestick compared to some of the French cathedrals from where I am from!" Jeanne declare as she glance around and notice a bob of dirty blonde hair with rollers in her hair with her trademark blue pearls around her neck.

"Anna, look who finally made it…" Pirika announce Jeanne's arrival as she make her way over to what appear to be the bathroom part of the dressing room.

"Jeanne! I thought you weren't going to make it!" Anna express her shock in her rather calm demeanor that she was known for.

"To miss a good friend's wedding while I'm barely doing anything in Paris, I think not? Beside, it gave me an excuse to come back to America again since the Shaman's fight." Jeanne answer after kissing both sides of her cheeks in traditional European fashion of saying hello.

"Well I'm glad that you can make it. Pirika, can you show her, her dress since I am still getting my hair done?" Anna pose in a rather polite tone as Pirika nod her head to show she was willing to volunteer her services.

"Alright then Jeanne, let me show you where your dress is." Pirika proclaim as she reach out for Jeanne's wrist and with a gentle tug got her to move from her current spot.

Jeanne notice that they approach a silver clothing rack that held all four of the bridesmaids dresses. There was white signs that had their names written on it as Pirika dive head first searching for Jeanne's dress.

"Okay Anna's theme colors are sage, mocha, and coral so the bridesmaids dress are coral. And here is your dress…right here." Pirika inform Jeanne about the color scheme while removing a dress that had the words "MAID OF HONOR: JEANNE" in big bold letters and hand it over to her.

"Anna, do you want Jeanne to have her hair in the bun or leave it like it is?" Tamao pose as she wonder how Anna plan for them to wear their hair.

"Thanks Tamao. I almost forgot to tell her, can you go get her for me?" Anna answer with another request as the pressures of making sure her wedding was memorable was starting to get to her.

Pirika and Jeanne were talking about the colors when Tamao walk up to them and repeated the announcement verbatim, "Anna, wants to see you so she could talk about how she want us to wear our hair."

Jeanne glance at Pirika as if to say excuse me and hand her dress back before making her way over to where Anna was, "Tamao told me that you wanted to discuss with me about how you want us to wear our hair."

"I was thinking that you girls should wear a bun since it would fit everyone's head. I mean it's not a lot of people that have a lot of hair like you and Tao Jun." She whisper the last part to her since she did not feel like creating chaos among the girls on her wedding day.

Jeanne could not help but laugh at her notion before she speak up, "It's fine by me as long as I don't see a pair of scissors near my silver locks than I am all yours."

"Thanks again for coming! I mean I know I can be a little tough on everyone…but that's only because I know they can do so much better." Anna answer with a smirk on her face.

"Well then my dear, Yoh, is one lucky man to have you as his bride." Jeanne offer her some words of encouragement while placing her hand on her right shoulder.

"There's another stylist that went to use the restroom but she is going to do you girls hair." Anna issue out her instructions.

"I understand. I will tell the girls for you. Now all you need to do is just concentrate on looking gorgeous for your future husband." Jeanne reassure her with a genuine smile on her face before removing her hand from her shoulder.

1111

The guys seem as if they were having a hard time as one question seem to put them in a state of being stump.

"Does anyone know how to tie a tie?" the question came from none other than a blue haired man by the name of Horohoro as he was wearing his tie around his neck as if he was a drunken fool.

All of them look around at each other as if they were waiting for someone to answer Horohoro's question. They all glance down at the black material that they were currently holding in their hands.

"Nobody panic, it isn't like a tie can ruin Yoh's big day…matter of fact I say we should go without one!" Horohoro suggest as they turn to him with looks on their faces that read "It was you who got us into this the first place."

"Uh uh, I refuse to go without a tie! Matter of fact, there should be some other ones in here." Yoh answer, as he start to dig in the box that held their ties, corsages, and vest.

"Give it up Yoh! Out of all of us, neither one of us know how to properly tie a tie." Chocolove proclaim after he adjust the jacket to his body and fasten the buttons through the slits.

Lyserg emerge from the room to see that the guys were all thinking hard about something and wonder what it was, "Wait a minute, Lyserg has his tie tied!" Tao Ren proclaim to the group as their eyes shot in his direction.

"I mean tying a tie is not that hard. Actually in the nunnery where we go to on a daily basis, there was this woman that helped me out one day and taught me how to tie a tie." Lyserg answer their question as he was on the receiving end of weird out looks on their face.

"Well then...if it isn't that hard then you wouldn't mind demonstrating to all of us your proficiency at tying ties by doing everyone's else?" Hao challenge the light green haired boy.

He knew that that was a way to keep their entire male ego prides in tact without having to let Lyserg in on the fact that they did not know how to tie a tie.

"Oh that's no problem, who's up first?" Lyserg ask when he notice that Chocolove was the first to person to start with on his tie.

"That was a nice save there Hao. If it wasn't for you then I would have looked like an idiot for not knowing how to tie a tie on my _wedding _day." Yoh whisper to his older brother.

"No problem that's actually my specialty." Hao wink at his twin when they notice that Lyserg finish with Chocolove and was now working on Tao Ren's tie.


	3. Chapter 3

"Does anyone have the time?" Anna inquire about the time as she was currently being fitted into her dress.

"You are just an half an hour away from getting married…" Tao Jun's voice reassure her that she was still on her mental schedule when she can feel the wedding dresser poke her with a sharp pin.

"Hey!" Anna shout out from pain as the woman profusely apologize as it was Anna who was going to pay her salary that is if she keeps her client happy.

"It's okay, ma'am. Its just you caught me off-guard." Anna knew that her sharp tone could be a harsh when she notice that the lady was on the verge of tears.

The wedding stylist quickly resume work when Anna could hear the gasps from her bridesmaids. This cause her to turn around and notice that their eyes were wide from seeing her wearing her wedding dress.

"Oh my god," The bridesmaids were on the verge of tears.

After getting the go ahead from the woman, Anna raise to her feet so she could move around when she made her way over to where the girls' were standing.

Anna somehow manage to enclose all of the four females that she hold closes to her heart in a hug. They silently stayed there as if to give Yoh's future wife, their moment was simply indescribable feeling.

They can hear the sound of a knocking against the door, which cause Anna to break her hold on to the girls. Pirika decide to stroll over to the door of the room and open it.

"Ladies, it's time for you all to line up! The guys should be on their way too…Anna you stay up here with me." The wedding planner instruct the bridesmaid before moving inside of the room.

Anna nod her head toward them as they place a kiss on each side of their cheeks before they form a line and make their way toward the staircase.

1111

Lyserg finish tying Yoh's tie when a knock came at their door as they glance between each other to see who would answer the door.

A deep sigh emit from Ren's mouth once he made his way over to where the door was situated in the room.

"The guests have started to file in so can I get the groom first and then the groomsmen in line that you are suppose to walk in with." The wedding planner ask them once Ren open the door.

"That would be you little brother," Hao tease as he look toward Yoh's direction to see that he still had the same smile that he was known for on his face.

Hao could not help but feel joy for his younger brother and a slight envy toward him as he had already found the one who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. On the other hand, Hao had his fair share of random women who never would see him the next morning.

'_I'm just glad Yoh never got involved with the life I led…well at least I did something right.' _ He thought to himself when he watched his younger brother cross over the threshold of the door. He was no longer considered to be a bachelor but as a future married man.

"Hao?" Yoh call out for his older brother.

Hao realize that he was deep in thought about Yoh's future, as he made his feet move one in front of the other.

1111

The cathedral was starting to fill with guests of the bride and the groom once they located their respective seats on either side of the aisle that they belonged to.

"Don't we sit on Hao-sama younger brother side, right?" A small girl with a rag doll in her hand pose to a girl with short blue hair.

"Yeah, even though we aren't technically considered family." The blue haired girl respond as they move to the left side of the cathedral.

"Excuse me, the organist has arrived." A man with brown hair which was shaped like a tank's gun made his way through the crowd with a man with short blonde hair that seem to flap along in the wind as if he was a corpse.

"Really Faust...you could have at least been here on time for _Yoh's_ wedding?" The man belittle the blonde haired male who he had in his grasp as he quietly made his way over to where the organ was placed.

"I was paying my proper respects to Elizabeth, Ryu, when you interrupted me. Just for that you should become my next experiment." Faust VII had on his doom and gloom look which really creep out the brown haired man name Ryu.

Ryu inch away from the depressed blonde haired man before he made his way over to Yoh's side. He placed himself on the first pew sitting among Silva and his fellow Patch Village leaders.

_'I can't believe that my master is finally getting married!' _Ryu excitedly thought to himself.

As if on cue, Yoh had taken his place on the left of the priest, who was holding a small black book that had golden words inscribed on it. He tried to read what was written but the writing was too elaborate to comprehend.

He then turn to face the crowded pews of the cathedral causing a thought to run through his head, _'I didn't know I knew all these people.' _

Not soon after Yoh conjured up that thought, he could hear the organ pipes create an eerie noise as if he was in a horror movie running away from the serial killer for his life. Yoh notice that Ryu threw something at Faust VII head which cause the music to slightly become upbeat.

Something in his gut wished he could have been in the hallway with the bridesmaid and the groomsmen especially when Hao realize who Anna's maid of honor was.

1111

Just as Yoh predicted, the hallway outside of the church was loud when they realize what order that they were in…with the groomsmen knowing who it was that they were walking down the aisle…except Hao.

Even if he was to lean over and catch a glimpse of who the lady that would be on his arm but the wedding planner would not allow that to happen.

So he decide to simply wait as he run his fingers through his hair whenever he was impatient about something. He could hear music emitting from in front of the doors.

"As we have rehearsed, I will count you off on the count of three then the next couple will go down the aisle. Do you ladies have your bouquets?" the wedding planner ask the bridesmaid. She was then rewarded with a unified answer from the women.

'_Of course they would be in synch…their females.' _ He thought to himself after hearing the answer from the males in a domino effect.

The count was slow but Hao was amaze that no one inside of the cathedral could hear the wedding planner counting down to three as one by one Hao could see the line move forward one person at a time.

"Are you nervous Jeanne?" Tamao ask over her shoulder after they watch Lyserg make his entrance into the cathedral and the wedding planner counting down to three once again.

She could only nod her head in agreement as her pulse start to speed up due to her anxiousness to walk down the aisle without falling and anticipation to see who she was going to be walking alongside in a couple of seconds.

"Hey I'm almost up, Pirika just went down." Tamao arouse Jeanne from her thoughts as she move up a step further but still fell behind Tamao's stance.

"Alright then, our Best Man and Maid of Honor, get ready to go…" but whatever the wedding planner said fell on deaf ears, as the only noise that could be hear from each other was "_You_"

"Go you two!" The wedding planner shouts as the two seem to snub each others presence adamantly.

The wedding planner nearly push the two of them together as Jeanne refuse to place her arm through Hao's open arm but found out that the wedding planner had other plans for them.

The two manage to place a smile on their face as they were in synch the whole time they were walking down the aisle. They had to put their feelings of hate toward each other aside since today was Yoh and Anna's special day today.

Jeanne was ecstatic once they reach the end of the aisle so she could break away from Hao. The shock was still settling in on her when she glance over toward Hao as he wink at her.

The two were engaged in a staring contest with one another hoping that if one of them blink that they would have the upper hand on the other when the traditional song "The Bridal's March" was being played by Faust.

The twin doors opens up to reveal Anna in her stunning white wedding dress causing Yoh to catch his breath as his sights were only set on his future wife. She was slowly making her way down the white aisle alongside his grandfather, who appear to be more of a child due to his height.

Yoh could not wait to have Anna reach the pulpit along with him so that they could finally be married and live happily ever after. Hao swore he could have saw Yoh with a small tear in his eyes that was about to fall but since Yoh knew that Hao was on his side so he would have never allowed him to forget.

The wedding went on smoothly, after the two shared heartfelt vows and kissed each other, it was official that Yoh and Anna finally tied the knot.

As the couple was making there way down the aisle, they were being showered with white rice for longevity in their marriage causing some of it to become stuck in the bridesmaids' hair and in some of the groomsmen as well.

'_These freaking people and this darn rice…' _Hao thought, as he could not wait to make it to the reception so he could comb the freaking white grains out of his hair.

He glance over immediately noticing that Jeanne refuse to look in his direction and can tell that she was visibly livid when she realize that he would be the one that walked her down the aisle

"You know I wasn't that bad. I kept my hands to myself." He lean over and whisper in her ear when they finally made their way out of the inside of the chapel and into the lobby.

"You better be lucky that I'm keeping my anger in check since it's Anna's special day! Try something and see you will come up missing a limb." Jeanne turn to him as her eyes were slit and a dark aura appear around her.

"And here you have everyone fool with your goodie two shoes act…everyone except me that is." He state since he could tell that Jeanne was completely serious about the threat and made sure to keep that fresh in his mind.

As soon as Jeanne was about to snatch away from Hao so she could join the rest of the bridesmaid to talk about the wedding. The wedding planner quickly scurry over to where they were standing as they were waiting for the groom and his bride to make their way toward the garden.

"There has been a change in plan. The bride and the groom would like to take the pictures now and have all of you ride in the limo to the reception."

'_You got to be kidding me…more hours near this heathen?' _Hao could tell that that was the exact thought that was running through her head after hearing that news of the sudden change in plan.

"Jeanne, don't you think that would be great?" Pirika ask her once she walk over to where Jeanne and Hao was standing with one another. This force Hao to break his current hold on her.

'_Pirka is so definitely going to take the top spot on my hit-list!' _Hao thought as he was slightly irked at the fact that Pirka ruined one of his good moments with the Iron Maiden in her true form.

"Come on girls, we have to take the pictures!" Jeanne silently thank Pirka for the interruption as she turn to see that Hao was wearing the same smile on his face, which was something that his twin Yoh, were known for…an unnerving smile.

Hao could tell that he had Jeanne on the edge since she was glad to get away from him at any available moment or time. He notice that she turn to face him to see his reaction, which was nothing but his famous smile.

'_I swear by the end of this wedding Jeanne, you will never get rid of me from your thoughts.' _ He thought as a wicked smile replace his unnerving one.

The traveling companion that belong to both the groom and bride made their way onto the soft grass that was recently wet. This cause the women to complain about how their high heels were sinking into the ground.

"All right, on the count of three!" the photographer state since it was his job to capture everyone that was involve in the wedding so that the moment would be special for the newlyweds.

The flash of the bulb brighten everyone faces freezing the moment before snapping two more photos while taking multiple shots.

The rest of the photos included: Anna and her bridesmaids, Yoh and his groomsmen, Anna and the groomsmen, Yoh with the bridesmaids, the bridesmaid and the groomsmen, the Maid of Honor and the Best man…much to Hao enjoyment and the last of course being the bride and the groom.


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright ladies and gentlemen your limousine to the reception has arrive along with the bride and groom car off to the right in front of it." The wedding planner announce to the group.

The bridesmaids soon made their way toward the solid concrete walkway in a quicken fashion happy to be away from the sinking feeling.

"That was a close call! I thought for a minute that my heels were going to be stuck in the ground." Pirika complain as she lift the hem of her dress up just enough to observe the heel of her shoes.

"Agreed. I'm surprised that Anna's dress didn't get dirty," Tamao mention when she spot Yoh helping his wife on to what appeared to be carpet so her white dress would not be stain.

"Well ladies, what are we waiting for then?" Hao voice enter into their conversation when they all notice that the brunette haired male had approached them.

"Come on Tamao, we don't want to leave Tao Jun by herself." Pirika excuse both her and their pink haired friend by reaching out, grabbing her hand, and catching up to where Jun was talking to the other groomsmen.

"What do you want now Hao?" Jeanne ask with her back still turn toward him when she notice that Chocolove was waving at them signaling them to hurry up.

"Now, now, now, my little maiden, why would you think that I would want something from you?" Hao respond back with another question of his own.

"Like I said earlier, I am going to keep my anger in check since it is Anna's special day! I'm not going to ruin that." Jeanne answer, as she slightly pick up her dress so that it would not drag and tear against the concrete. "Hao and Jeanne come on!"

This time the voice belong to Jeanne's green haired friend, Lyserg, when a thought pass through her head. _'It has a nice ring to it. What in the world am I thinking?_'

Jeanne give her greetings to Tao Ren, Chocolove, and to Yoh before he enter in the car designated for the bride and groom.

"Ms. Wedding planner, I do believe that everyone is accounted for." Hao inform the wedding planner once everyone enter inside of the limo and take any of the provided seats.

Jeanne can hear the woman chuckle as she watch Hao enter inside of the limo with his hand on the door handle before pulling it close until it lock. As he was starting to get comfortable in his seat, he just so happen to look up to see that Jeanne was looking at him.

"So Jeanne," Chocolove start off a conversation, which force her to look at him, "When did you get in from Paris?"

"I just got in earlier on my time. I happen to arrive a couple of hours before Anna's wedding." She supply an answer with a small smile on her face.

"Oh yeah...I'm surprised that your jetlag hasn't set in yet. That means you have flown quite often then." He respond back with a slight nod of his head.

Hao merely observe their surroundings when he notice Jun and Ren talking to each other while Tamao was playing with her hands when Horohoro was talking to her. Pirika was looking out the shaded windows, while Lyserg, Chocolove, and Jeanne were holding a conversation with one another.

"Maybe you guys should fly out to Paris and spend two weeks there? I think you will all like that. Don't you agree Jeanne-sama?" Lyserg offer his suggestion more toward Chocolove, who seem to think about it for a while.

"I wouldn't mind that all. I was looking for a vacation spot and Paris was next on my list." He express his interest in flying out to Paris for a visit.

Jeanne nod her head to show that she would like that, "Pirika, what about you? Would you like to visit me in Paris for a two week stay?"

The blue haired girl's eyes gleam with anticipation as she held the silver haired girls' hands within hers. "You know how much shopping we will do when I get there?"

Hao can hear Jeanne chuckle at what Pirika just said before they can feel the limo briefly stop before turning a corner once they ride over a pothole.

"Ouch!" came from most of the women and some from the men but instead was in a lower decibel so they would not hear them complain like sissies.

"Tamao, what do you think about visiting Jeanne for a two week stay in Paris?" Pirika pose to the pink haired girl to her left while interrupting her conversation with her and her older brother.

"That sounds like it would be fun! Just let me know ahead of time so I can save enough money up for the trip." Tamao answer with a similar smile on her face.

"Then its settled. I can't wait for you gals to come and see my city with your eyes!" Jeanne's tone change to happiness when she start to speak about her hometown.

'_So she ask everyone but me to go…so typical of Jeanne goodie two shoe character.'_ He thought when she can hear her interrupting the sisterly and brotherly talk between Jun and Ren.

The drive was less then twenty minutes long when they can feel the car come to a complete stop and the driver cut the engine of the limo completely off.

"Well it seem as if we have arrived at the reception hall." Hao state the obvious when they can hear the lock release, which allow him to open the door.

Jeanne slowly inch out of the limo since she was the closest to the door and sitting beside Hao. She notice that his hand was sticking out as if to offer her aid to get out of the car.

'_What does he have up his sleeve?' _Jeanne thought inwardly but recall that her mother had taught her to always accept a gentlemen's help, which was something rare now and days.

"See Jeanne, now was that so hard?" He ask her once she had both of her feet on the sidewalk. She notice that Hao was still holding on to her hand after she move out of the limo's door path.

"You can let go now. I am out of the car." Jeanne respond to Hao's question. She tried to gently pull her hand away from his hand only to find that he had a rather strong grip on it.

She notice that there was a smile present on his face after hearing her statement when he notice that she had a crept out look etch on her face.

"Jeanne, are you alright?" Lyserg voice bring her out of her thoughts. She turn her head to the left to see that everyone was filing out of the limo and waiting on the sidewalk for the wedding planner to arrive.

"Yes, Lyserg, I'm fine. You don't have to fret too much since you are in the same area." Jeanne knew that when Lyserg ask her that question. He was concerned about Jeanne's safety around Hao.

Lyserg exchange glances between Jeanne and Hao to spot any signs of Hao forcing her to cover up the lie she was probably telling him. "You know that Marco would've had my head if something bad were to happen to you."

Jeanne respond back, "I understand that! I won't hesitate to call you if I feel that my life is being threatened at the slightest gesture."

Hao observe as Lyserg respectfully bow out of their conversation. "It seem as if you play the victim role quite well Jeanne."

"And what is that supposed to mean? Like you would play the victim role when your plan didn't go your way, am I correct?" Jeanne pose, as she was holding back the venom from her tone so she would not give Hao the satisfaction of getting under her skin.

He lean over toward her when he could smell the scent of lilies and lavender of her perfume. "Or was it because you had a feeling that I would be here? That's why you sick one of your guard dogs on me."

Jeanne was taken aback from the accusation, as she had to regain the space between her and Hao for the simple fact that she could feels a tingle up her spine when she felt his hot breath against her ear.

"Where are you going Jeanne? You don't want to upset Anna on her wedding day, now do you?" Hao knew her reason for wanting to create space between them since he could feel her shake from nerves.

She felt trap as she can feel heat creeping up towards her cheek so she turn her head from his sights. She notice that her scapegoat emerge from the doors of the building.

"What are you doing out here?" The wedding planner question them. Her heels click against the concrete while making her way toward them.

Before any one of the bridesmaids or the groomsmen could react, the wedding planner was firing out another set of instructions for them to follow.

"I would like for you guys to line up in your original position since the DJ will be announcing you by the way you walked down the aisle."

'_Ah come on…can't I just take a break from that lecherous idiot?'_ Jeanne thought when she cut her eyes over to where Hao stood glancing up at the sky.

"Come on Jeanne, I already got Tamao in her original position. All we need is you..." Pirika break Jeanne out of her lingering gaze on Hao forcing her toward the entrance of the building.

'_I wonder what he was look at?' _she thought to herself when she watch him stroll toward the rest of the group, _'Wait a minute…since when did I care for what he was looking at?' _

The wedding planner double-check the lineup order when the sound of another car can be heard causing them to turn until the notice the groom, Yoh, emerge from the car.

"Hey everybody!" Yoh shout toward the group. He was wearing the same smile on his face from once he exchange his vows to his wife, Anne, and when he was walking down the aisle with her in his arm.

The presence of Yoh seem to place a calming effect on the people who were waiting to enter inside of the building. They all watch him aid his blonde haired wife out of the car and on to the sidewalk of the reception hall.

But the instant joy that was felt from the arrival of the groom and the bride was suddenly shut down due to the wedding planner. She begin to push their entire group inside of the designate waiting area literally.

Jeanne glance over to see that Hao had that far off look on his face before he turn back to see that she was looking at him again.

"So at first, you couldn't keep your hands off of me and now you can't stop looking at me? Surely enough, you are going to admit that you like me sooner or later." Hao speak, as he count down from the number three when he notice Jeanne's look of fury.

He slightly bend over and start to laugh toward himself "I swear you always give me the same look whenever I mention something physical."

"I have never met someone who is so full of themselves, my god, you need to grow up, Hao!" Jeanne declare as she want it to rain on his parade of happiness at the current moment but the attempt did not seem to work.

He continue to laugh at her as Jeanne was hoping she could find something to throw at the long brunette haired man who was currently standing to the right of her.

"If I didn't know any better Jeanne, it sounds as if you were keeping tabs on my personality. You of all people should know me best or did you quickly forget that?" Hao question her, as his tone was slightly serious when he was talking to her.

Her face turn a bright red that envied a ripe tomato as she turn her head away from him as if she was embarrassed from his comment. "So you still didn't tell your guardian dogs the X-Laws, what you did, did you?"

"Ugh!" Jeanne let out an annoyed noise that catch the attention of Lyserg, but it was too late for him to act on it when the wedding planner push him inside of the crowded reception hall.

Hao could not help but wear a victory smile since he was able to pry deep enough to reveal the real Jeanne, the Jeanne that he really and truly cared for.

"Did I ask you to bring that up _again_? I thought we both agreed that you would not speak about that again?" Jeanne ask with her head turned away from him.

"I couldn't help it. After all, you were giving me the wall and I knew if I mention _that _then it would break you out of your goodie two shoes shell." Hao explain his actions but this time in a whisper tone that was loud enough for only them two to hear.

"Look," Jeanne turn to face him this time with a clear and pale face, "We are going to enjoy this wedding like civilized people and we can talk afterwards. Deal?"

Hao extend his right pinkie finger out towards her as if he they were little children that was about to make a promise on their pinkie finger.

She glance down at his hand before looking back up at him. Hao simply push his pinkie finger toward her before she notice that it was only them, Tamao znc Horohoro in the line.

"Alright then," Jeanne hook her pinkie finger around his when they drop their hands from one another and enter the reception hall.

"The Best Man and the Maid of Honor, Hao and Jeanne."


	5. Chapter 5

The reception was lively as the attendants of the wedding socialize with people who they have not seen in months or even years.

Jeanne was enjoying her time there since she knew that she was separated from them by an entire ocean and wanted to make sure she did not leave anyone out.

While she was making her rounds, the reception hall became quiet before the DJ turn down the music. "Now ladies and gentlemen, give a rousing applause for Mr. and Mrs. Yoh and Anna Asukura!"

Thunderous clapping and whistles for the couples ring in her ears when their eyes falls on the bride and groom, one was wearing a small smile while the other wears a calming smile.

Jeanne could acknowledge that the duo were truly in love with each other, she was just glad that they were finally able to tie the knot.

'_I am so happy for Anna! She stood by Yoh through thick and thin and did not hesitate to keep him in line.' _ She thought when a small smile appears on her face with her thoughts.

Hao looks over to see that Jeanne was no longer facing Pirika and Tamao but rather towards Yoh and Anna when he notice her smile _'I wonder why she is smiling?'_

He scans the room and was not at all surprise at the fact that his little brother impacted so many lives including his very own. _'With a simple smile Yoh changed everyone lives here.'_

The wedding planner continues to pace the room and check up on the guests to make sure that everything was running smoothly.

The DJ continues to play various music before playing a slow song, "Alright, I would like for all the guys to grab a girl and leave none of them sitting down at the table."

Hao knows that the DJ has given him another chance to be around Jeanne but he had to make it quick because he spots two people who already had her in their eyes.

Jeanne was trying to inch her way away from her current position as she can feel eyes on her after hearing the latest announcement from the DJ.

"You know you don't have to worry about looking for a dance partner." She hears someone say from behind her.

She was not going to show him that she was glad that he had sensed her discomfort and flew right in without hesitation to handle it.

"You seem as if you are at ease when you hear my voice?" Hao ask her when he turns her around to face him.

"Unlike you I don't know everyone by name and face." Jeanne offers up an excuse but can tell from the look on his face that she was covering up something.

"Well then, you aren't the type that is bashful around other people. I mean you are your town's sweetheart." Hao state to show he knew she had lied.

Jeanne merely nods her head as she was not really in the mood of talking but just enjoys listening to the music.

"Hey," Hao glances down to see that she was zoning out on his conversation, "I see you are still wearing my gift?"

Her eyes pop open after hearing what Hao ask her, "So now you are blind? Obviously you can see it, can't you?"

"I swear you truly are a puzzle. One minute you want my guts out of my body and then the next minute you are so loving towards me."

"The same can go for you." Jeanne jokes along with him.

Hao offers his hand out towards her enjoying the feel of Jeanne's hand on his before pulling her onto the dance floor with the other couples.

"This is nice." He hears Jeanne say more to herself then directly towards him while in the midst of the slow song.

He silently agreed with his dance partner's statement and decided to enjoy this precious moment since he might not have a lot of these later on in the night.

Once the slow song ended and was replaced with a more upbeat tone, the couple decided to make their exit from the dance floor and made their way to their reserved table for the wedding participants.

"You know I really didn't know that you were Anna's bridesmaid...let only her Maid of Honor." Hao states once they rest comfortably in their seats.

Jeanne looks at Hao in disbelief since he was the type of person who always stays in the circle of information instead of the one looking in.

"You don't say?" Jeanne asks him before reaching out for a glass of water that was place on the right of her plate.

He nods his head in agreement with a small smile on his face.

"I just would have assumed that Yoh or Anna would have told you…unless…" Jeanne states before placing her clear glass back in it original position.

Hao eyes cuts over to where his twin was dancing with the love of his life as if she was the only person in the world at the moment.

He feels a slight wave of envy since he was once again behind Yoh, who pretty much accomplish majority of the firsts in life even though he was younger then he was.

"Hao…" he hears his name being call when his eyes cut back to the silver hair, red eyed maiden that grace his presence.

"You were zoning out. Did you hear anything that I said from earlier?" Jeanne ask with a stern look on her face.

Hao holds his hands up in a innocent manner, "I am guilty as charge. It seems as if I was distracted by thoughts of how you have graced me with the presence of your beauty."

This cause Jeanne to blush from the compliment from Hao, _'Always quick on your feet…huh Hao?'_

"It seems as if you appreciated my compliment." Hao tease her after he successfully cause her to be speechless.

Jeanne gathers her thoughts for a moment before looking at Hao, "Do you have the key on you?"

Hao looked at her slightly confused until he saw her reach for the pendant that was around her neck.

"Why would you ask for that silly thing at a time like this?" Hao asked curious as to why she wanted the necklace opened at this time and place.

"I haven't seen the picture in here for almost five years now." Jeanne answered his question.

Hao places his elbow on the table and leaned against his propped left arm, "I do not feel like opening."

Jeanne looks at him with a '_Are you serious?_' look. She sighs and roll her eyes as she had a strong feeling that he was about to ask for something in return.

"I want something in return if I unlock it." Hao stated simply as Jeanne had pretty much figured out Hao's thought process, at least to an extent that is.

"What do you want from me Hao?" Jeanne ask knowing that she just set herself up for Hao's bait.

She notices his eyes gleam with mischief, "You know I think I am rubbing off on you now."

Jeanne rolls her eyes at his statement before asking, "Yes or no?"

"I still have it but what I want in return is a kiss." Hao made his demand when he saw the expression on her face.

'_I should have known that he would say something like that…' _she thought.

Before she can answer his question Lyserg makes his way over to their table, "Lady Jeanne…"

"Yes, Lyserg what is it?" Jeanne ask in a polite manner when she notice that he was looking at Hao the entire time.

"He just came to make sure that I kept my hands to myself and that I acted like a good little boy." Hao guess while leaning his back on the chair.

"Is that why you came over here, Lyserg?" she ask with a stern look on her face when she ask the green haired man her question.

Lyserg was caught in his plan, "Actually Marco wants me to ask you how long do you plan on staying?"

"I am staying till the bride and groom leaves so he should be a little patient." Jeanne answers in a reassure tone.

Hao notice that the little hesitation he had after she answers his question came so he make sure that he would not try anything.

"I swear your lap dogs are so restricting even if you are less then ten feet away from them." Hao complains.

Jeanne smile at his statement since he did not like to complain much, "Well when you are as important as _I_ am then you get use to it."

Hao could not help but laugh at her comment, "If you say so _Lady _Jeanne."

She sees him reaching in his pocket before producing the key for the locket before proclaiming, "I still got it!"

Jeanne reaches her hand out for it but Hao did not give it to her, "Not until I collect what I offered."

"You always have to make things so difficult." She tells him when she sees him round the table and takes the seat next to her.

She sees him lean in as she unknowingly moves her head backwards, "Are you still scared of me Jeanne?"

'_Heck no…' _she thought to herself before feeling her heart beat increase. _'Come Jeanne…it is just one simple kiss.'_

She leans in meeting halfway until she feels her lips meet his, _'What is this feeling?' _

Jeanne feel as if electricity shot up and down her spine when she can feel him gently nibbling on her bottom lip silently asking for entrance, which she gladly grant.

Hao could not help but to pour whatever feeling he had for her in the kiss and knew all to well that sooner or later they were going to have to part from one another in order to breath.

'_That was amazing…' _the thought pass through both of their heads once they break for air.

It was silence between them for a couple of seconds as the two came down from cloud nine, "Since you comply without fussing over my deal. I will unlock it.

Jeanne feels his hand graze her neck and finds it to still be warm. _'I wonder what he is thinking about?' _

Hao place the key inside of the hole and turn it counterclockwise before hearing a soft click and a pop before removing the key.

Jeanne grasp the cold metal in her hand before looking down at the picture that was place in the locket.

"Man I look so young back then…" she finds herself saying after looking at herself.

"I don't know about you but I think I still look the same." He jokes when his eyes fall on the picture that was enclose.

"That was when you showed up at the church unannounced…I remembered that day." Jeanne says in somewhat of a daze tone while looking at the picture.

"As do I Jeanne…as do I." He says before allowing her a couple of more seconds to look at the picture.

She release a sigh before speaking; "You can close it now."

He close the top of the pendant back before hearing another click signaling that it was close but he did not immediately remove his hand from the necklace.

Jeanne can still feel his hand around the necklace as if he was in deep thoughts. "What is wrong?"

"I am glad you are still wearing this. When I bought it for you I thought it was a little cheesy for me to get you this gift." Hao tells her while observing the silver heart pendant in his hand.

Jeanne give him a weird look, "Why would I not keep a gift that someone thought long and hard about it in order to please me?"

He turns the silver object over in his hand over and can make out what appears to be two letters "H" and "J" on the back of it. _'That was four years ago…' _

"Hao…" He sees her waving her hand in front of his face before blinking out of his thoughts.

He notice that his hand linger there longer then he expect it to. "Are you sure you alright?"

"Is the Iron Maiden concern about my well-being? I am surprise at the notion." He tease since he can tell that she was being sincere about her question.

She did not immediately answer his question nor his latter response. "Lady Jeanne, Marco request that we should head back to the hotel since the groom and the bride are leaving in a couple of minutes.

"Tell Marco, I am twenty-one years old now…he is still treating me like a little kid." She answers while pouting after he left.

"Like I said, you can never go anywhere without your lapdogs with you." Hao states while making a reference to his previous statement.

"Well it seems as if it is my time to go…nice seeing you again Hao." She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before rising to her feet.

"One more question before you go…" he stop her once she raise to her feet. She gives him the go ahead to ask her his question.

"Where do we go after this?" she hears him direct his question towards her.


	6. Chapter 6

Jeanne pause after hearing the question Hao just ask her, _"Where do we go after this?"_

'_I should be the one asking that question…' _she thought to herself, as her mind could not process any answer for that question.

"I know how you don't like things to be sprung up on you so I will give you some time to think about it." Hao's voice brought her out of her thoughts.

She nods her head at him and makes her way over to where her "lapdogs" were waiting for her.

Jeanne looks over her shoulder to see Hao with a cup full of red wine. _'I just hope he doesn't drink himself silly.' _

She thought before heading out with Marco and Lyserg, "Hao, are you going to be alright?" Yoh ask once he nears his twin brother.

"Yeah, I will be. I am going back home once I finish this drink. Oh and congratulations baby bro, you married before me." He teases his twin before taking another sip of the wine.

"Thank you. Just promise me you won't drink the whole thing and go straight home?" Yoh ask his twin since he knows how he was when he had too many alcoholic beverages.

"I can do something completely better. I will not finish it and go straight home…the parking lot is not too far from here right. I will walk the rest of the way." Hao says before rising to his feet.

"Alright then, make sure you call me back when you get home or Anna will have my head." Yoh states.

Hao could not help but think how motherly Yoh was was when Anna was around. "I will baby brother."

Yoh watches as his older brother make his way out of the reception hall when his wife makes her way over to where he was standing.

"Is it me or is Hao…_sad_?" she asks her husband after noticing Hao's behavior a couple of minutes ago.

"No…he is confused at the moment. I am sure he will come around before morning time." Yoh answers his wife's question.

"I don't know about you but I am so ready to get out of this dress…it is so uncomfortable in this thing." Anna complains, which causes a smile to appear on his face.

"If you say so…" Yoh responds with the same lazy smile on his face.

0000

Hao was enjoying the night air, as it seem to have a calming affect on him and his thoughts.

'_I feel like flying…' _he thought to himself since he remember that the church was a little ways from the reception hall.

He closes his eyes channeling his furyoku towards his feet causing a shift in the wind as he no longer can feel the ground underneath his feet.

'_It still works like a charm…' _he thought to himself before flying upwards so no human beings can see him flying.

'_The moon is the same from when I visited her…' _he says to himself inwardly before focusing on his destination.

Five years ago…

A then sixteen year old Jeanne was kneeling at the alter for her routine afternoon prayer, "God bless all the X-Laws and those who stand for peace. Allow them to come home to their loved ones and friends."

"I thought when one pray they don't pray selfishly but instead for those who can't." A voice brings her out of her prayer.

The voice sound familiar to her, "I didn't pray for myself instead I pray for the sake of others."

She raise to her feet, since she personally wanted to see who could have accused her of such blasphemy against her belief.

The figure was concealed underneath a cloak the color of camel beige not even revealing their face as they stood on the outside doors of the church.

"Who are you?" Jeanne asked in a polite tone with curiosity was starting to peak now.

"I am hurt that you do not recognize me but it is okay I am sure that you will know sooner or later." The voice spoke when he saw her come near him while he took a step back.

'_So it is someone that I know…' _she thought as some of the clues were being presented to her.

"If you feel so strongly about the way that I pray why not grace the church with your own unselfish prayer." Jeanne asked the cloak figure.

She heard him laugh, "Trust me my dear Jeanne, a sinner is not welcome on the presence of holy ground even you would know that. Even as we speak I do not like the feeling that I am getting from this place."

'_So they can not stand being around holy items, huh?' _she thought to herself before that narrowed her list of names down to one.

"I must admit I give you some credit for standing on church ground and know that I know who you are this game makes sense to me know." She told the cloak figure as he was walking backwards.

"Did I say I want this to be a game? I was just in the neighborhood and I decided to see what this church held for someone of its taste." The voice responds until the wroth iron gate catches their attention.

"Well then, what do you call this charade that you are putting on then…Asakura, Hao?" Jeanne calls out to the figure's name.

Jeanne hears the person in front of her laugh, "Always on your toes, leader of the X-Laws, Iron Maiden Jeanne."

"That is you alright! You are the only one who calls me by _that_ name. And you were in the neighborhood? Hao, you are usually on the other side of the ocean in North or South America."

"Nothing gets by you then…besides I was bored and I had the urge to come and see you." He tells her with a small smile on his face.

"Can you take off your hood? I don't like talking to people who have something covering their face." Jeanne ask him before feeling his hand within hers.

"Hao…where are we going?" she asks while he was guiding her towards an unfamiliar location.

"You look bored in there. Besides you were just literally begging to escape form that cathedral." Hao answers as he half lied to her.

"I will go along with your excuse today but we have less then three hours before Marco and the others will start to worry about me." Jeanne says, which cause a smile to appear on his face.

He laughs at the memory when he notices that he was nearing his destination,_ "I swear she has more sides to her then a cube…that didn't make any type of sense."_

1111

Jeanne places her elbow on the car door's handle while putting her chin against her face, "Lady Jeanne, is there something wrong?"

She looks to see who ask her that question so she could give them the appropriate answer, _'It was Marco…' _

"I am highly upset that I was unable to fully enjoy myself at Yoh and Anna's wedding and their reception because I was constantly being watch! Then on top of that I feel like I am still a teenager with a curfew when I am really twenty one years old!" Jeanne answers as she tries to not sound as if she was complaining.

Lyserg looks at Marco to see if he was going to accept that as an answer, _'If you fall for that Marco…'_

"If the lady doesn't mind me interjecting my own opinion of the situation, I believe that she was upset because she could not spend any time with Askura Hao." Lyserg added in before Marco could respond to her statement.

Jeanne looks towards Lyserg with wide eyes, _'He is so going to get it!' _

"Is this true, Lady Jeanne?" Marco asks her before pushing his glasses back on the bridge of his nose since they were sliding down his nose.

She can sense the tension in the limo among the X-Laws members while she gives Lyserg a death stare.

"Driver can you stop right here…" she orders the driver of the limo who comes to a complete stop after hearing her request.

"Where are your going Lady Jeanne?" Marco asks her as his voice hardens after seeing Jeanne's sudden act of defiance towards him.

"Anywhere but here…" she answers with anger in her tone before she slams the car door shut behind her.

'_He was right…they are like some lapdogs…' _she thought to herself while she gathers the tulle of her dress and walks in the opposite direction of the limo.

She hears the car door open and the sound of Marco's voice was behind her, "See, this is why we can't leave you out of our sights…you act reckless on your own terms."

Jeanne refuse to stop walking and sticks her right arm out with her thumb up as she plan to hitchhike instead of riding in the limo with her so call family.

"Lady Jeanne please put your arm down, hitchhiking is dangerous! You never know who might pick you up." Marco shouts to her while closing the distance between them.

"You know what..." she turns while walking backwards still, "...since I can't live a life of being an adult then I will not comply with anything that you tell me! You know what Hao gave you all the perfect nickname…" Lyserg pokes his head out of the car.

"What might that be?" he asked her as the only way he could get her to get back into the car was to peacefully talk her out of it.

"Lapdogs…and after that move that Lyserg just did to me. I feel as if I can't trust any of you all so I am defying your orders."

'_I can't believe that…' _"As a adult you will learn that you have to face situation where you will have to keep your pose…"

"So you are saying that since I decided to blow up this _one_ time that I am no longer pose? You know what Marco forget you!" Jeanne was speaking the truth to her blonde haired companion.

"What if I say you can have more freedom then?" Marco asks her attempting to tempt her with what she really wants.

She laughs at how weak Marco's negotiating skills were; "It won't matter since I was treated like that ever since I was a teenager so I think that the damage is done."

Jeanne turns back around while she continues on her own crusade and decide to pay no mind to what Marco was saying to her.

She notices a familiar black car pull over on the sidewalk before she walks faster then Marco when she sees whom the driver was.

"Jeanne don't do this…" Marco warns her after he approaches the car.

Jeanne leans in on the driver side before nodding her head and rounds to the passenger side and hops in without thinking.

He sees the driver roll down the window and shots a bird before speeding off into traffic as he could not get a good read on the license plate.

"She is still within sight…we need to get to Jeanne-sama or I fear the worse." Marco states once he comes running back to the limo and closes the door back.

"I wonder what has gotten into Jeanne-sama?" Lucky ask once they feel the limo pull off and merge into traffic.

"It was Hao…he sunk his claws into her while we were at the party! I knew he couldn't be trusted alone with her." Lyserg says as his jealously was not evident to the others.

"So then we must eliminate Askura Hao then," Marco says in a commanding tone before feeling the limo merge into another lane.

Jeanne places her seatbelt on before relaxing in the passenger seat, "I am so glad you showed up."

"It looks as if you were having a fight alongside the road. What happened?" Hao ask after swerving in front of another car in order to get away from the X-Laws limousine.

"Well we were on our way back to the hotel when Marco ask me was there something wrong with me. I simply tell him that they have been watching me for a long time and I was tired of it."

"Then Lyserg claim that it was because of you that I acted as I did." Jeanne gives him the shortened version of what all happen a couple of minutes before he picked her up.

"So that 's the reason why I see you walking away from your head lapdog, Marco. I must say that is so like your other side. I must say, I am quite proud of you Jeanne."

"It was…liberating!" She answers before relaxing in the passenger seat before she catches the sight of the limo in the right side mirror.

"Hao…I don't mean to talk about your driving but you know that they are closing in on us." Jeanne claims when she looks at the side mirror again.

"Since you feel that way…" he tells her before shifting into second gear and presses his foot on the gas and change lanes…of course with his signal light on.

"Lyserg, can you use your dowsing?" Marco ask him.

"I need something of hers to strength the search…" Lyserg answers before pulling out his family heirloom that his father gives to him.

"Morphine…we need to find Lady Jeanne." He said when a pink fairy with pink hair appeared before he spun the diamond pendant in a circle.

"Is Lyserg with them?" Hao ask her.

"Yes he is…oh crap if I use my powers to try and block him then he will get a stronger read on us." Jeanne explain to Hao with a disheartened look on her face.

Hao look in his side mirror before he adjust it and say to her. "I figured…I just put something around the car so they would not find us. That third rate tracker could never find me because of this."

Lyserg diamond pendant stop mid-air, "I can't track them…


	7. Chapter 7

Marco glances up at Lyserg with an unreadable look on his face before asking. "Are you sure about that?"

He nods his head; "He put Morphine in a lock. She is stuck in some kind of white circle and she can't move."

"We might as well hold up and wait till Jeanne comes back. We are messing with Askura, Hao, someone who is highly skilled with his furyoku." He orders when the driver return back to a normal speed.

'_Marco was counting on me…how could I have mess this up!' _he thought to himself while mental beating himself up.

Jeanne sees them take a nearby exit and seem to give up the fight…at least for the moment.

"They are gone…" Jeanne says with relief in her tone while she rest her head against the passenger seat

Hao looks over at his silver haired companion. "They probably just remember _whom_ you were riding with…"

That brings a smile to her face, "You can say that…I wonder why they still hate you?"

Hao already knew the answer to that question, "Not everyone is forgiving as you are Jeanne or like Yoh."

She knew she hit a soft spot when she asked that question. "Well that suck for them since they are missing out on such a good friend."

Her statement cause a smile to appear on his face, "Did you, Iron Maiden Jeanne, just give me a compliment?"

"Why not? Everyone, even someone like you Hao, deserve a compliment every now and then." She tells him with seriousness in her tone.

'_Always put my mind at ease…you never cease to amaze me.' _ He thought before shifting into another gear and pressing the acceleration.

1111

"Marco, what are we going to do now?" John asks once they make their way in their hotel room.

The blonde haired leader pace the small space hoping to think of some kind of plan, meanwhile the source of the whole fight sits with a depress look on his face.

_'How could I let her slip through my fingers like that? What does she see in Hao? I wonder did he tell her to pull such a stunt?'_

"We all know what Hao is capable of and is of the highest danger assess I can give to you all. He is highly skill in using his powers and hand-to-hand combat so trying to find him is slim to none. What I do know, is that Jeanne has to come back for her clothes and other personal items sooner or later." Marco explains to them the whole situation with his outlook on it.

"So you are saying, we will use that as our window of opportunity to reclaim Jeanne-sama and put a hold on Hao?" Pofe asks while digesting Marco's proposal.

That is when Lyserg springs to life. "Marco is right! Lady Jeanne prides herself on her looks so I know without a doubt she will come back for her clothes."

"How will we know when they will come back for her clothes?" Cebin ask the green haired young man.

Marco and Lyserg look at one another when Marco was the one who nod his head, "We have a good idea when they might come back.

1111

Hao turns on the television once he had undress from the tuxedo, which he was require to wear for the wedding, shower and dress in sleeping clothes.

'_I knew it was only a matter of time before she was going to have enough of those idiots. Hell I would have been flown the coop if I was her.' _He thought while changing the channel looking for something good to watch.

He settles on looking at the news before staring up at his ceiling when another thought enter his head, _'She loves them a lot… that is why she put up with them for this long. They better consider themselves lucky if you ask me.' _

"I'm finished with the shower. Do you want me to clean it out?" the sound of Jeanne's voice brings him out of his thoughts.

Hao turns his head to the side to see her wearing his baggy red sweatpants and one of his white shirts with a red flaming skull on the front.

He could not help but laugh at the sight in front of him. "What is wrong?"

"It is just…I am so use to seeing you in _your _clothes." He answers in between laughter while leaning forward clutching his stomach at the same time.

Jeanne look down and can understand why he was laughing at her. _'His clothes are big on me…' _

She pulls on one end of the shirt and ties it into a knot tightening up the slack of the shirt. _'Well this is the best that I can manage…' _

"You don't have to worry about cleaning the tub I will take care of that." He answers once he comes out of his fits of laughter.

"Are you sure? I don't want to cause you any type of trouble, Hao." Jeanne asks him before he nod his head.

"What did you do with your dress?" he inquires about where she put the dress she was wearing for the wedding at.

"I hung it where you have your tuxedo at. Is that okay?" She answers his question before taking a seat next to him on the couch.

"We need to get some clothes…since mines are _too_ big for you." Hao states when he place his arm around her shoulder bringing her closer to him.

Jeanne enjoy the position that they were currently in, "I have some back at the hotel."

"My gut is telling me that your dogs will be anticipating you trying to retrieve your clothes since you like to dress so nicely." Hao states before feeling Jeanne poking his stomach.

"Hello gut," she says in a teasing manner, "So how are we going to solve this problem?"

Hao looks at Jeanne and could not help but to look her in her eyes. _'Even after her act of defiance…her eyes still hold innocence.' _

"What are you thinking about Hao?" she asks after seeing that deep thought look on his face.

"Some things I don't want you to think of, but I do have a way we can get your clothes back though." He answers her question after coming out of his thoughts.

For some reason she feels as if she could trust Hao since he always told her the sincere truth no matter how hard it was for her to take. He _always_ kept his word.

"I won't do it unless you tell me that you trust me by myself with them." Hao states with an unreadable look on his face.

Jeanne nods her head against his chest as she silently enjoys the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat.

"I do Hao. I trust you." She says before feeling the wave of sleepiness wash over her lulling her off to sleep.

'_I don't think I can do it without you telling me that.' _He thought while rubbing his fingers through Jeanne's silver locks.

1111

Jeanne wakes to the aroma of breakfast when she feels that she was no longer lying against Hao.

Her red eyes takes in the surroundings while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, _' I am so hungry!' _

She hears the sound of grease cracking when she sits up to see Hao with his hair tied back in a ponytail with a white frilly apron around his waist.

The sight was something to see. when she finds that he was not looking at her she was going to surprise him but instead there was a "Good morning, Jeanne."

Something in her heart swell after hearing Hao greets her in the morning, "Good morning Hao."

"Breakfast is almost finished. How you like your eggs?" he asks her with two eggs in his hand.

"Sunny side up." She answers before placing her feet on the carpet and raise to her feet.

"Alright, Sunny side up it is." He tells her before turning his attention back to what was on the stove.

Jeanne gives a little stretch before making her way into the kitchen and see what all Hao was making for this morning.

She notice plates of pancakes, bacon, sausages, grits and some fruits on different plates, "Everything looks delicious."

"Thanks. I try my best." He accepts the compliment with a small smile when she reaches for a empty plate by the sink.

"Here are your sunny side up…" he tells her before sliding the cooked eggs on to her awaiting plate.

She sees him grab two more eggs out of the carton before she start grabbing or scooping things on to her plate.

"I went to go visit your friends. They seem as if they were waiting for me when I arrive." He tells her while he adds a slice of cheese on the pan.

Jeanne was pouring the syrup on her food before she holds it up. "And you didn't take me with you?"

From the sound of her voice he can tell that she was upset with him. "That is why I asked you last night did you trust me?"

She knew that she agreed but she would have at least like the notion of been told what his plan.

He takes her silence as a way of complying, "I must say you lit a fuse under their butts because they tried to trap me in some kind of pyramid shape seal."

Jeanne looks up at him with shock in her eyes, _'They tried to seal him…with that?' _

"But that thing was so easy to break out of but if you were with them, I don't think that I would have broken free so easily. I did give them your demands verbatim but I claim that I said them myself." Hao tells her before turning the stove off.

'_So he was willing to bury himself deeper in their hatred just so I can have my freedom?_' she thought to herself when she sees Hao placing the pan in the sink.

"So what did you demand of them?" Jeanne asked anxious as to hear what he told them.

Hao was wearing a smirk on his face, "I will tell you after you eat some food. I could hear your stomach growling at you all night."

She knew that Hao was serious about what he just told her when she felt her stomach growl at her due to neglect.

"See I told you..." He jokes before grabbing a fork and digging into the food.

1111

Lyserg felt like ripping someone's heart out and crushing it within his very own hands. He did not want to do this malicious act to just any one…oh no there was someone in particular he wanted to carry it out on.

'_Asukura Hao…' _he thought as that name makes him want to kill the individual even more.

'_How dare he comes in as if knows Lady Jeanne's feelings?' _he thought when he remember the events of what happen last night resurface in his thoughts.

Marco and Lyserg lay in wait in Jeanne's room in anticipation on who would be the one to come back or would they both come. Either way they knew that Hao would most likely to be the one to show up.

The sound of someone whistling catches the two males attention. "Lyserg, where is that noise coming from?"

Lyseg looks around before observing a shadow appear on the balcony when they could distinguish the shadowy figure.

"I thought I would at least have a better welcoming committee." The voice speaks before stepping through the open window.

"Asukura Hao, where is Lady Jeanne?" Marco asks but Hao remains silent on the notion while looking around the hotel room.

"Answer the question Asukura. Where is Jeanne-sama?" Lyserg asks when he sees the brunette move near her belongings.

"Those are her clothes right? Is everything in there?" he inquires before placing the tote bag on his shoulders when a black suitcase with a silver ribbon tied on it catches his attention as well.

"She has nothing that you may need from her so do give her back to us!" Lyserg states with emotion in his tone.

Hao brown eyes lays on the green haired, green-eyed boy "You, Diethel, what are your feelings about Jeanne?"

"Jeanne-sama, is a gracious and kind leader! She never puts herself before others and enjoys the company of children! She will not hesitate to put her life on the line for any of us and so we feel as if we must protect her!" Lyserg speaks with compassion in his tone.

"For someone who serves Jeanne you sure did give me the generic answer, isn't that right Blondie?" Hao ask Marco.

This cause Lyserg to look up at Marco, "What does he mean by a generic answer?"

"You X-Laws are nothing but a bunch of fans, who join together out of an obsession for Jeanne. Lapdogs that try to shelter a free spirit can only end up being burn in the end…trust me I had to do the same thing to my chaperons. I am not saying that this will change her love for you all but now she knows what your _real_ intentions are for her. When someone lays their life on the line on behalf of another human being it is only right that you honor their request even if it as simple as allowing her to enjoy an event."


	8. Chapter 8

Jeanne and Hao eat in silence and was quite comfortable with one another presence that conversation was not need between the two.

"My compliments to the chef," She jokes after cleaning her plate entirely so that not a single crumb was left.

"Glad that I could serve you, if you want something to drink you can look in the refrigerator." Hao told her when he remembered that she did not have a drink to wash the food down.

She raise to her feet while pushing the chair out from underneath her and turns to place the plate in the sink before grabbing a glass cup.

Hao watched as she moved around his kitchen still clad in his large sleeping clothes, "Is there something that you want to do today?"

Jeanne opens the door of the refrigerator before spotting a green carton with bold white typeface letters that reads "APPLE JUICE" on its label.

"Nothing comes to my mind since I am so use to staying put in the hotel." She answers his question before she close the door back and unscrew the top.

"Would you like some apple juice, Hao?" Jeanne ask him after pouring her a glass.

He merely nods his head a yes before he sees her move back over to the dish holder and grabs a similar cup.

"I do have to give them some kind of credit though, you would never been bored in that hotel." Hao tells her when she screw the top back on the carton.

Jeanne let out a small laugh at Hao's statement before returning the juice from where she original got it from.

"Well then would you like to go see a movie?" he asks her when she turn around and hands him his cup of juice.

After hearing him thank her, she retook her seat across from him, "I haven't been to a movie in a long time. What time should we go?"

Hao takes a gulp of his drink before looking at Jeanne, "It gets really crowded at night time and we just miss matinee so we can catch an afternoon movie."

"That seems like a wonderful idea." Jeanne express her joy in the offer before she sips on her drink as well.

"I got your suitcase and the rest of your stuff in my room. If you want you go through it to make sure everything is there." Hao remind her of her stuff in his room.

"I will check it later since I never got a chance to unpack in the first place. Hao," she calls for his attention.

"Yeah, what is it?" he ask in a polite manner while looking up at her.

"I know this sound weird but can I comb your hair?" Jeanne asks him.

Hao looks at the silver haired girl in front of him as if she was weird, "You want to comb my _hair_?"

Jeanne nods her head up and down showing that she was quite serious in her request.

He unknowingly runs his hand through his hair, "I haven't comb it in a while so I don't see any problem with it. Why do you ask to do such a weird request?"

"I have always like your hair and I, on a personal tip, know how hard that can be to take care off. So I wanted to offer my help." Jeanne answers when she sees him down whatever was left in the glass down.

'_So she is attracted to my hair…such a strange girl is this Iron Maiden Jeanne.' _He thought to himself.

1111

"There has to be something that we can do about this situation?" Marco voice was heard causing Lyserg to snap out of his plots on killing Hao.

"What can possibly be done, Marco? You were the one that assess him on a dangerous level." Pife ask their blonde haired leader.

"This is not just anyone we are talking about…" Lyserg, the green haired dowser speaks to the X-Laws, "…this is Lady Jeanne, _our _Iron Maiden that always wore a smile on her face. I know we are not giving up."

"Lyserg is right, Jeanne-sama has always watch and pray over us. She has always been our guardian angel."

Marco could not help but allow his mind to recall certain phrases from when they were facing against Askura, Hao himself.

"_You X-Laws are nothing but a bunch of fans who joined together out of an obsession for Jeanne."_

"_Lapdogs that try to shelter a free spirit can only end up being burnt in the end…"_

"_When someone lays their life on the line on behalf of another human being it is only right that you honor their request even if it as simple as let her enjoy an event."_

'_If these are the accusations he claim that only means that Lady Jeanne feels that way about us…that we are but lapdogs to her.'_

As Lyserg was rallying up the troops another thought pass through Marco's head, _'If she hasn't come back now what is her reason for staying with him?'_

1111

Hao was currently sitting on the floor as he can feel the comb in his head gently pulling until the tangles were out of his head.

"I didn't know that your hair was really curly." Jeanne's voice was heard as she guided the comb through his head of hair.

Hao could not help but smile at Jeanne's fascination with his hair. "Why did you let you hair grow so long?"

"It just grew that long and I let it stayed like that. Do you think I need to cut my hair so I can look like Yoh?" Hao jokes with her after hearing her question.

"Then I would have to be mad at you. You look nice with long hair…just like me." Jeanne compliments him and herself as well.

"Oh so, you would be upset if I cut my hair? You don't think the Yoh look would compliment me?" Hao ask her still in a joking manner.

"Highly. Then that would leave me the only one in the group with long hair and then I might just cut all mines off then." Jeanne state.

She hears Hao laughter ringing in her ears. "I haven't even thought about it like that but I will do it just for you then."

"I feel so special now…" Jeanne jokes as they continue with some more sidebar conversation before Jeanne announce that she was finish.

"Wow. It feels as if a weight has been lifted off of my head." He teases her of her handy work but was telling the truth.

"Jeanne, the hair stylist, will never steer you wrong." She adds with a puffed out chest and a smile on her face.

"If you say so Jeanne the hair stylist." He says after hearing the name she had given herself.

Hao gives a little stretch before stifling a yawn. "I am going to take a shower but you should really check up on your stuff."

"I will, promise…" Jeanne answers before seeing him nod his head in agreement before taking off towards the bathroom.

She place the comb on the arm of the sofa and sits there for a couple of minutes. _'I wonder what they could be doing without me?' _

Hao pause and looks at the look on her face, _'I should have known that she would be sad sooner or later.' _

Before he left he saw her rise to her feet, "Well if I promise Hao then I better follow through with it. They can wait a little while longer."

That brings a smile to his face after hearing what she says to herself, _'There may be some hope for her yet…' _

1111

'_I should have never pack so many dresses…' _Jeanne thought to herself after she goes through her suitcase so she could sort out her clothes and take inventory as well.

She reaches for her other bag and hopes that she had some normal clothes to wear for today.

'_This is almost hopeless…' _she thought to herself before looking inside of the bag and pulls out some of its contents.

'_There are shoes…accessories…pins and hair clips…_'

'_This is so useless…' _she says to herself before plopping back down on to the bed while a sigh was release from her mouth.

'_What am I going to do?' _she thought to herself while staring up at the ceiling before silently praying for some type of answer from God for her situation.

"So is everything there?" Hao's voice breaks her out of her thoughts on solving her current problem.

Jeanne sits up quickly before turning her attention towards Hao, "I have a problem…"

Hao looks at her weird before becoming curious as to what it could be, "You? A problem?"

"I am being serious Hao. I do have a problem…all of my clothes are extravagant and I just want to blend in so I won't cause too much trouble." Jeanne says in more or least of words.

"I figure you would say something like that…" Hao tells her while folding the towel that he had in his hands.

Now it was Jeanne turn to give him a weird look, "What are you talking about Hao?"

He places the now folded towel on the top of his door before making his way over to the closet.

"If you didn't mind the fact that I was looking through your suitcase for your size. I went to buy you some normal looking clothes that you would like." Hao tells her while he searches in his closet before producing shopping bags.

Jeanne covers her mouth with her hands after witnessing Hao's generosity and thoughtfulness before her very own eyes.

Hao could only smile at how speechless Jeanne was as he makes his way towards her with the bags in his hand.

"I will let you get dress as soon as I get some of my own clothes and then we can go. Is that alright with you?" Hao ask her.

"Yes, it is." She agrees while taking the bags from his hand as she was excited to see what he had bought her to wear.

A couple of minutes later...

_'I can't believe that he got my sizes down to a tee.' _Jeanne thought to herself after checking out what Hao had bought for her.

It was a white camisole tee-shirt with a pink three layered ruffle skirt with a denim jacket that stopped at her waist with a pair of dark brown cowboy boots. She opt to wear her long curly silver hair in two pigtails with two pink bows to hold her pigtails in place.

A knock was heard at the door when she realized that it was none other than Hao who had knocked, "I am on my way out."

"Its alright you can take as long as you want." she hears him say before removing himself from in front of the door not hearing the knob turn and the door open.

"So how do I look?" she ask him once she emerges from his bedroom with a smile on her face.

Hao knew that she would like the outfit he bought her but when it was on her he was totally speechless. "Are you still there Hao?" she ask him.

Instead of answering her question he pulls her closer to him, Jeanne let out a small gasp after the sudden move that Hao pull on her, "Beautiful,"

Her face was tint pink after hearing what Hao whisper in her ear, "Come on now, we don't want to miss the movie."

When he separates from her embrace with a sly smile on his face after seeing the look he cause on her face, "Alright you win."

1111


	9. Chapter 9

"Did you like the clothes that I picked out for you?" Hao inquire once they made their way down the staircase of his apartment.

"You surprised me with your excellent taste." she tease him since she had a feeling that he had extra help with picking out the clothes he bought for her.

Hao simply wore a small smile on his face after hearing her comment, "What can I say? I'm simply good at every thing that I do."

Jeanne pause after processing Hao's statement, "If you say so but I always wondered something? Why didn't you stay with Yoh and Anna?"

"Oh trust me, I probably would have killed myself if I didn't have my own privacy." Hao response with his hand to his temple in the shape of a gun and pull the trigger.

"Hao, don't do that! I can understand if you didn't want to stay for the sake of privacy. I on the other end have only a little amount privacy." Jeanne claim when Hao held the door open for her to exit.

"If I were you, I would have busted out of there but good thing you aren't me though." Hao state once she stroll through the exit of the building.

"Why do you say that?" Jeanne pose as her curiosity was peaking now.

Hao glance over to her before giving her his answer, "Then it wouldn't have been fun to bust you out of there for myself! Besides, I would have been bored in the Mexican desert all by myself."

Jeanne could not help but to laugh at his statement, "I know that you would have been able to find something else to occupy your time."

Hao nod his head in a no manner, "Anyway...it's a beautiful day today, are you enjoying it so far?"

Jeanne glance over to Hao, "Yeah, it feels good not having Marco over my shoulder or in the area hassling me or preventing people from approaching me."

"Good, didn't like that blonde haired dog anyway. What about the other one, the green haired one?" Hao inquire about Lyserg.

"You mean Lyserg? He's relatively the newest member but he is like a little brother to me." Jeanne response to his question about Lyserg.

'_Hm, at least that's what I've been trying to tell him.' _Hao thought to himself when he recall the look Lyserg had on his face when he went to retrieve Jeanne's items.

"I can understand why they want me within their sights…they just want to protect me from harm." Jeanne claim, which break him out of his thoughts.

"If you say that tightening the noose around your neck so you can't breath then sure. They prevented you from being a teenage girl." Hao counter since he could not imagine someone trying to stop him from enjoying life.

"Like you said earlier, we wouldn't have met then I wouldn't have such a wonderful friend that I can call on for any means of escape." Jeanne remark while using Hao's statement from earlier.

This bring a small smile on his face, "You don't mind if after the movie we could get something to eat?"

"Good god, woman! Where did all that food that I cooked for you this morning went?" Hao joke knowing that she had a fast metabolism.

Jeanne shrug her shoulders up and down at his question before answering in a innocent nature, "Who knows but can we?"

"Alright, alright, you don't have to beg, here's the turn we make." He tell her before guiding her to a crosswalk.

1111

Lyserg did not have the urge to leave his hotel room let only his bed, after all when planning a well thought out plan sometimes staying in one place is the best option.

Unfortunately, that seemed to be the worse idea that he ever thought of doing for his spare time, _'Just the thought of Jeanne-sama giving him the benefit of the doubt makes me sick.'_

A knock came at the door of his hotel room as he turn his head in the direction of the door, "Leave me alone!" was something that he wanted to say but instead he rolled out of the bed.

He notice that it was Marco standing in front of the door; he knew that leaving him out there would be a bad look on his part.

Marco made his way into Lyserg's room with an unreadable look on his face, "Have you tried your dowsing again?"

'_I can't even get a good morning first but why would I care? He is just showing how much he cares for Jeanne-sama, maybe I should be more like Marco.' _

"No, I have not. Don't you recall that he put Morphine in some kind of white bind." Lyserg answer his question while trying not to sound like a smart ass.

"A white bind? Did you check to see if it was some kind of leeway after a day or so?" Marco inquire.

"Knowing Hao, he would only lift it whenever he feels like making it hard for us to locate Jeanne-sama." Lyserg explain to Marco.

He glance at the blonde haired man, the leader of the X-Laws, the loyal and ever so faithful servant to Lady Jeanne, their earth angel, sent from God himself. He always had admired Marco for his levelheadness and his extreme devotion to Lady Jeanne.

Marco place one of his thumbs underneath his chin; "So it seems as if using our magical powers would be of no use…it looks as if we are going to have to do this the old-fashion way then."

Lyserg was not surprised that Marco mention that notion but was rather waiting for it so it would give him an excuse to get out of his cramped hotel room and move about freely.

"Since you have the most expertise on tracking due to your dowsing skills then we will be relying heavily on you, Diethel, Lyserg as we go further in this mission to locate and secure Lady Jeanne from Asakura, Hao."

He immediately went down to one knee; "You can count on me, Sir Marco, in locating and securing Lady Jeanne back into our ranks. You have my word."

Marco place one of his hand on Lyserg's shoulders, "I am already aware that I can trust you with this mission. we will start in a couple of hours so meet us in the lobby of the hotel."

Lserg wait until Marco left his room before jumping in anticipation of facing off with Asakura, Hao but more on his terms then Hao's.

'_The last time the trap went array. This time when I catch you, I'm not letting you out of my sights.' _Lyserg thought to himself, which caused him to gain his new resolve.

1111

"So what are you in the mood for watching?" Hao ask Jeanne when they were waiting in a short line full of moviegoers just like them to purchase their movie tickets.

Jeanne could not think of an immediate answer so she merely respond to Hao's statement with this "Surprise me."

"You really are trying to see if I really picked those clothes out for you was a fluke, huh?" Hao ask her after hearing her statement.

She could not help but to laugh at Hao's teasing before responding with "No, I don't really know what I am in the mood for so that's why I asked you to surprise me."

Hao let out a sigh of relief, "I thought I was under another one of your test."

"Now why would I do you like that, Hao? I'm not that mean." Jeanne reassure her brunette haired companion with a gentle smile present on her face.

"I didn't know everyone wanted to catch such a earlier movie today." Hao state after leaning a little ways to his left to see that the line had not quite move yet.

"It is a nice Saturday. What else do you think couples would do on such a nice day?" Jeanne pose to him, which earned her a shrug for an answer instead.

Hao heard her use the word couple in her question, "Oh and since when did you declare us as a couple, Jeanne?"

This cause her to blush with that statement _'I can't believe that I had said that out loud.' _She thought inwardly to herself.

There was this awkward silence among the two but quickly vanished when Jeanne claim, "You know what, we don't have to address what we are. We can just enjoy where we are at, right?"

Hao look rather surprised at her statement, "What? For a minute there, I thought you sounded like me. Are you sure you're still Jeanne?"

She could not help but to chuckle at his statement, "You are starting to rub off on me only a little. Next thing you know, I would have turned into a little miniature Hao."

"And you make it sound as if it is a bad thing." Hao add in, which cause Jeanne to pause in her laughter.

It was then that he realized that they had made it to the front off the line and was waiting for the ticket holder so they could order their movie tickets.

'_Hao does have a good point though, I'm starting to sound like him a little.' _Jeanne thought to herself as she could not determine whether or not it was a good or a bad thing.

'_Who cares? As long as I'm having fun then it doesn't matter to me.' _Jeanne inwardly thought as she gain an iron resolve on her thoughts of freedom from the X-Laws.

1111

Lyserg was anxious to get started as soon as possible that he was the first one in the hotel lobby waiting for the others' to come down.

'_Where are they? Don't they know that when messing with Asakura, Hao that we are on a time schedule.' _Lyserg thought to himself while pacing back and forth in the lobby.

An elevator ding was heard causing Lyserg to glance upwards to see the X-Laws strolling out of the elevator in more appropriate gear for the mission.

It almost seem weird for Lyserg to see them in civilian clothes. When you rely on oneness uniforms is most appropriate choice; not to mention it comes off as disciplined and well trained.

"It seems as if we have the first step of blending in labeled as a complete success. Now Lyserg, this is where you will take over in the mission. I will continue to maintain executive order of the X-Laws but you are in charge of the group's movement and strategic planning. Do you understand?" Marco inform the green haired member.

"Yes I do loud and clear. I will accept full responsibilities of my actions if I fail this particular mission." Lyseg gave his word to Marco and the others.

"As those standing behind me serve as my witness, we shall hold Lyserg to his role and duties until the need for me to step in and handle the problem arise." Marco declare to the other members of the group, who all nod their head in synch with one another, "Then it is settled. Lyserg led the way."

"So this what we are going to do in order to get Lady Jeanne back to us from Hao." Lyseg start off.

1111

"I had a feeling you were going to pick a horror movie…" Jeanne state after she had readed the name of the movie on the ticket that Hao bought for them.

"Hey what can I say? I'm an action pack, blood spilling, gory detailed scene kind of guy." Hao answer before handing their ticket to the man who take them up.

"What can I say? I'm an romance pack, lovey dovey, happy ending kind of girl." Jeanne offer her rebuttal by taking parts of Hao sentence while adding her own flavor with a smile on her face.

Hao raise both of his hands and did an air quote, "Chick flicks are so typical and makes the guy looks like the villain or the fool but if that is what the lady likes then so be it. But since I know you are that kind of girl, I wanted you to get this kind of once in a lifetime experience."

"You know what Hao, you are very good at convincing people to do things that they don't want to do." Jeanne comment when she realize that he was coercing her into going to the horror movie.

"I wouldn't be Asakura, Hao if I could not even do that. So are you coming in or what?" Hao pose to her while offering his hand out as a sign for her to accept the challenge.

Jeanne glance at both his face and his extended arm with an open palm toward her, "It is either now or never Jeanne?"

No longer fighting her rebellious spirit she reach out for his hand with no more hesitation in her thoughts or actions.

'_What am I getting myself into?' _she thought to herself when she spot the entrance of their particular movie.

A couple of hours later…

"So what do you think? Could you go for another round?" Hao ask Jeanne once they exited from the movie.

Jeanne remained quiet as if she was trying to figure out what words to say about her first experience of a horror movie.

"How can you look at stuff like that? It felt as if I was the one being cut up!" Jeanne suddenly proclaim which cause Hao to break out into fits of laughter.

"Well it seems as if you took it well especially for your first time. My gut says you are one tough cookie." Hao joke after seeing the horrified look on her face.

Jeanne poke his gut with her index finger when her face still contorted with a weird look on her face, "Once again your gut is speaking to you but I can't hear it."

"Mines is saying feed me…" Jeanne state after "listening" to her gut speak to her.

"See you are starting to learn to listen to your gut, its just way of the gut." Hao proclaim, which cause her to turn to face him again.


	10. Chapter 10

Lyserg and the X-Laws occupies two taxis since riding in the rented limo for their mode of transportation would be immediately be recognizable by Lady Jeanne and Hao.

"So where should we start our search for Lady Jeanne, Diethel?" Marco inquire as he occupy the passenger seat of the taxi.

"Lady Jeanne take a particular liking to this place so if we can create a list of places she likes to visit while here. We have a good platform to start from." Lyserg explain his approach to the plan on how to find Jeanne.

"Hm," Marco turn his attention away from the green haired boy before he place his finger underneath his chin.

'_It shouldn't be too hard. Its not like Lady Jeanne has a thousand places to go. Maybe we should start with Yoh at the Funbari Inn.'_

Lyserg break away from his thoughts when the taxi drove over a pothole, "How about we try the Funbari Inns with Yoh and Anna?"

"They won't be there since they are on their honeymoon." Marco answer since that was the number one spot on his list.

"Well then they won't mind us searching for Lady Jeanne in their home? Beside, what they don't know won't hurt them." Lyserg suggest to the group of X-Laws.

'_So he is willing to sacrifice friendships for the sake of Lady Jeanne's safety. He is truly devoted to our Lady. I shall keep this in mind when it comes for promotion.' _Marco thought after hearing Lyserg's statement.

'_I don't care if I have to plow through Yoh to get to Hao! As long as I have his head on a stick then I am satisfied.' _He thought inwardly to himself.

"Sir, take us to Funbari Inns." Marco inform the taxi cab driver their intended location.

'_Just hold on Lady Jeanne…we will rescue you from the clutches of that foul mouth Asakura Hao.'_ Lyserg declared his oath inwardly.

1111

Hao fought back another sneeze causing Jeanne to say, "Bless you" for the seventh time today.

"Are you alright Hao?" Jeanne inquire about his health as she being to wonder if he was coming down with a cold.

"Perfectly healthy." He answer her question without hesitation.

'_Maybe it's because some green haired little twit can't keep my name out of his mouth.' _He inwardly thought when he answer Jeanne's question.

"You said you were hungry right?" he pose to her when he recall that she said that she was hungry earlier.

Jeanne simply nod her head in an up and down fashion to signal that she was indeed hungry.

"So what are you in the mood for?" he ask her when he glance down at Jeanne, who was walking a closer distance to him due to the crowded sidewalk.

Jeanne place her index finger to her chin, which was a signal to Hao that she was thinking about some of her options.

"I'm in the mood for some Italian food. You know a little taste of home." Jeanne answer with a small smile gracing her face.

"Now why am I not surprise to hear that for your answer." Hao state since he figured out that was probably the only thing she was accustoming to eating.

Jeanne glance up at him before responding with, "Maybe because you know me to well?"

Hao smile at her question since he knew it was the truth and the same apply vice versa with Jeanne knowing him so well.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm sure you know of a particularly good Italian restaurant that's in the area." Jeanne state.

"Ding" "Ding" "Ding" "Ladies and Gentlemen, why I do believe we have a winner! Give this beautiful young lady a prize." Hao tease Jeanne causing a blush to appear on her face.

"After all, I wouldn't be a good date if I didn't at least know where my date likes to eat. Now would I?" Hao pose before giving Jeanne a slight nudge in the side with his elbow.

Jeanne slightly jump away from the touch while laughing at the same time, "Hey that actually tickles, you know."

"That was why I did it." Hao comment with a wide smile on his face when Jeanne cover the side that Hao poked her with his elbow use her hand.

Hao clear his throat before speaking up again, "But anyway the place that I'm going to take you to will remind you of home."

"Oh? I'm intrigued now. I must see this little Italy of yours then." Jeanne chime in since she had known Hao to not tell a fib.

"Now don't say I didn't tell you," Hao mention before he hum a tone to himself.

"Hao, can I ask you a question?" Jeanne inquire about his participation for answering her question.

He pause in the middle of his song as he wonder what could be on her mind. "Sure you can ask me anything and I will give you a honest answer."

"Why do you hate the X-Law so much?" she ask when she remembered that Hao always kept her affiliations separate from the group whenever they would spend time with one another.

"So you're already wondering about that now…well I don't hate them. I just don't agree with some of the things that you all partake in." He explain with his hands jam into his pants' pockets.

He observe Jeanne's face the whole time when he supplied an answer to her inquiry about his feelings on the X-Laws.

For the second time that night, she paused in giving an immediate answer after hearing his feelings.

"I was only curious to find out your answer beside you don't have to worry about me mentioning them again while we're together, okay?" Jeanne proclaim to him after winking her eye at Hao.

'_She really did some growing up under them…' _Hao thought to himself before hearing Jeanne speak up again.

"Do you think we can go to the amusement park tomorrow and slip in some karaoke too?" she pose to Hao while looking up at him.

Hao could no longer contain his laughter, "Sure whatever you want to do, we will do it. After all, it's not every day that your _lapdogs_ allowed you to live a regular life."

Jeanne simply smile as she quietly enjoyed the feeling of being voluntarily in control of something since she most often time was not able to do that.

'_That's why I enjoy spending time with Hao…anything is possible with him.'_ She thought to herself.

1111

"Thank you for your services." Marco thanked and paid both of the cab drivers that toted the X-Laws to the front of the Funbari Inn.

Marco quickly gather the troops in an efficient manner once the taxicabs departed from their current location.

"So Lyserg what is our course of action now?" Marco inquired to the young man with the green colored haired.

Lyserg pause as he suddenly remembered that he was going to use the taxicab ride to formulate at least two plans of action. However it didn't go over so well when images of Hao plagued his mind and reveled in the numerous ways he saw his demise.

'_I know one of those ways will come true with the succession of this mission.' _He thought to himself.

"We need to canvass the area. Have everyone set up at a certain point of the hotel to prevent any intruders from escaping." Lyserg offered as a suggestion.

Marco thought about it for a couple of minutes, as if he had to confirm whether or not it was a good idea. "That sounds like a plan to me. If the plan goes astray, I want you to send a flame of furyoku up into the air and we will convey on the spot."

"Lyserg," Marco turn to face him once again, "How long should we allow the mission to drag out?"

"If nothing is found then we meet back in this precise location within a couple of minutes. We can't waste too much effort on this location."

"You heard the man." Marco proclaim before the group spilt off into their normal pairs except this time Lyserg had Marco along with him.

'_I could get use to this.' _Lyserg thought to himself with a small smile on his face.

1111

Hao guides Jeanne through the sidewalk with her holding onto his right arm. "It should be around this corner."

Jeanne was anxious to see what the place looked like that once they turned the corner her eyes laid on to a pizzeria.

Hao glances down at his date to see that her eyes were wide, "I mean there is another place more formal then this…"

Jeanne shakes her head left and right twice, "No. I haven't had pizza in God knows how long."

The smile on her face cause his heart to swell with satisfaction. "Pizza it is. Right this way mademoiselle."

Hao guides Jeanne to the door separating from her only to open the door for her to walk in earning a "thank you" for being a gentleman.

"I see an empty booth over there." Jeanne points out once the couple enters the pizzeria.

Hao follows close behind her so that the men who occupied a couple of tables away from them did not have any funny ideas about Jeanne.

"This is such a nice place." Jeanne declares while observing the various items and signs that grace the wall of the pizzeria.

"I do aim to please." Hao joke before a waiter approaches them with two menus in tow and place them in front of them.

"Welcome, would you like to start of with your drinks so you can have enough time to look over the menu?" their waiter ask after straightening back to his original height.

"That would be fine, I would like a Coke." Hao orders, "Oh I will have a Strawberry Lemonade,"

He jots down their preferred drinks before leaving them to complete the request.

Once he left the couple lifted their menus to their eyesight to see what they were in the mood for ordering.

"So have you started to miss Paris, yet?" Hao inquires hoping to start up a conversation with Jeanne.

"I sort of do but I feel at home here right now. You know of course Marco would not allow me to venture too far off of the church grounds." Jeanne answesr while still looking over her menu.

Hao nod his head in agreement before mumbling to himself, "The stick in the mud Marco,"

"Now don't get me wrong, I loved the church dearly but I wanted to see the world." Jeanne explains.

"So are you going to tell me how you end up in the Shaman King tournament when your leader didn't like you traveling outside of the church grounds?" Hao poses to her.

Jeanne laugh at Hao's question, "There is a funny answer to that question."

Hao raises an eyebrow at the young girl's reaction to his question, "Let me take a guess, there is a funny back story to this."

Jeanne nods her head, "So when I was doing my regular prayers in the cathedral, Marco takes a seat next to me. He had a very serious look on his face and refused to look me in the face the entire time he spoke."

"He was like I have a deal for you. So I told him gambling in the Lord's house was not permitted and frowned upon. He claim it was just an offering and then hands me a silver manacle before instructing me to put it on my arm. He then told me that he was going to make an exception to rule if I agreed to go along with him on this spiritual journey. I soon realize that he was more excited about leaving the church as much as I was even though he tried not to show it." Jeanne explains to him.

"He even had his suitcase packed and ready to go weeks in advance before anyone of us."

"Now that's something that I can't believe." Hao expresses his disbelief in Marco's actions.

"That's why its so hard for anyone to believe. He was like a kid in the candy store running around excited but he doesn't know that I saw him."

"Now I can _believe _in that." Hao confirm.

"My gut told me that you would agree to that." Jeanne jokes about her own gut.

Their waiter return with their drinks in his hands before placing their respective drinks in front of the customers.

"So have you two decided on what you would like to eat for this evening?" Their waiter inquires.


	11. Chapter 11

Lyserg was making his way around the front side of the Funbari Inns as he remained diligent in finding any clues and keeping on the lookout for the owners of the place.

'_I just don't understand how our pure Lady Jeanne could just up and leave with that devil without hesitating.' _

The concern for his leader was strong as it needed to be since he was deemed to be team leader for this assignment by his brother Marco.

'_I can't let him down either…he finally sees me taking some initiative at my age.' _He inwardly thought with satisfaction on his face. 

"Morphine," Lyserg calls on his companion as a fairy clad in a pink one piece jumpsuit with darker pink hair and matching wings appears in front of him.

"I see that you got yourself out of that ring of light." Lyserg claims in a joyful tone once he saw her moving around freely once again.

A nod of the head from the pink shaman sent relief to his heart, "I promise I won't do that to you again."

Morphine simply flies in front of his face, "What is there something on my face?"

She shakes her head in a no fashion before he speaks up again, "Do you think you can find Hao again for me?"

He observes the fairy fly a good distance away from his face before extending her arms and legs out forming an "X" shape.

Morphine begins to glow a white light before bringing her arms in front of her transforming into a diamond pendulant.

"Alright then…let's do this Morphine!" Lyserg declares before swinging the pendulant in his hand hoping that it would find a clue.

1111

The waiter had his pencil and pad ready to take the couple's order after he delivered their respective drinks.

"I will have a sandwich with Tuna, Red Onions, Gaeta Olives, Lemon & Argula." Jeanne orders what she likes while staring at the image of the sandwich in front of her.

"And would you like a salad with that ma'am." The waiter poses after scribbling down her first order.

"Uhm…I will have the Market Salad." Jeanne speaks up again before closing her menu and handing it to the waiter.

"And what can I get for you sir?" The waiter asks after turning his attention to Hao.

"I will have the Marinara pizza." Hao declares once he found exactly what he was looking for on the menu.

"If you want I can take some of our Homemade Bread onto her salad and it will only cost you $2.00." the waiter proposes.

"Is that alright with you Jeanne?" Hao inquires towards his date, who merely nods her head in a yes manner.

"Well then tack on the bread and you got a deal." Hao affirms while handing the waiter his menu earning a small chuckle from Jeanne.

"So I will take your orders in so your food can be out in a timely manner." The waiter explains to them before taking his leave from their table.

Hao places one of his elbows on the surface of the table with his chin sitting on top of his hand, "You want to know something Jeanne?"

Jeanne looks in the direction of Hao but does not look him directly in his eyes, "Enlighten me then."

This causes a small to appear on his face before he speaks up, "I never really quite understood you and your ways."

"Huh?" she questions as his statement seems to catch her off guard.

"You offered a disheartened and unpopular fellow, such as myself, arms of hope, love and faith even if everyone told you to avoid me like the Black plague. " Hao explains to her with the same smile present on his face.

This seems to put Jeanne at ease, "The nuns at the abbey and church always thought I was weird child since I use to sneak out a feed a nest full of blue birds with the bread that they use to give to us for lunch."

"A savior of the innocent and the _damned_ you don't get the mix every millennium." Hao compliments her as a blush appears on her face.

"Hao…you don't have to always talk about me in our conversations. It's kind of embarrassing." Jeanne complains about their choice of topic for conversation.

Hao simply closes his eyes after hearing her statement before refuting it with, "Maybe I just like talking about you that's all."

"I like your modesty about yourself Jeanne. But it I'm starting to sound like a deranged fan of yours then I can stop." Hao proposes.

"You want to know something Hao?" Jeanne repeats the same question Hao had asked her earlier.

"Enlighten me." Hao uses her same response to the question he had asked her.

She had to prevent a giggle from leaving her mouth when she repeats "I never quite understood your ways and your thinking."

Hao's smile grows wider before laughing at the woman, who was sitting in front, antics. "Do tell what you don't understand about me?"

"Why are you treated so awfully when you really have genuine heart and an open spirit? You just like to have fun, even though others don't want you to. You refuse to allow people to tie you down with their actions or word." Jeanne supplies her answer.

"When you put it that way…you don't make me sound like the awful guy that I developed throughout my many years of living." Hao comments with a shake of his head in a no fashion.

Hao removes his chin from his hand lying his arm straight down on the table, "Not too many people would like to take the precious time out of their schedule to get to know how warm and fuzzy I'm of a guy."

"Yoh did it. No matter how many times you tried to kill him. He still accepted you for the way you are." Jeanne recalls the infamous Shaman King Tournament where Hao was bent on ruling the entire world and gaining all of the furyoku in the entire spirit world in his possession.

"It almost sounds so childish the way you just described it. I have always been a firm believer in that things happen for a reason." Hao claims while slightly turning his gaze upwards.

"But you are missing another important person that did the same thing that Yoh did for me." He hints before returning his gaze to Jeanne.

"I had my spirit consume your Shamash not caring for a second whether you lived or died afterwards. I just wanted to up you and your goonies of a group so you wouldn't be an obstacle in plan for world domination." Hao voices sounded as if it was filled with pain a regret.

Jeanne had the sudden urge to touch Hao's hand and reaches out for it, enjoying the warmth that it provided for her. "It's alright. I manage to somehow get Shamash back so I'm no longer mad at you."

Hao pauses in the beginning of his statement, "Thanks I needed that. But I think you showed me your rebellious side when I see you walking away from your limo clad in your maid of honor's dress with your arm out as if you were planning to hitchhike.

This caused another blush of embarrassment to appear on her face, before responding with a "Hao!"

"What?" he ask knowing well why she had called out his name like that, she was still embarrassed about her actions towards her team.

"Come on now Jeanne, you can't just sit there and tell me you didn't like doing that?" Hao poses towards the girl who removes her hands from his only to fold her arms across her chest.

"Let's just say I was not in my right mind when I did that. For all I know, I could have been picked up by a complete stranger from my dangerous actions." Jeanne contests while turning her face away from him.

"But you didn't…you got picked by your most trusted person in the entire world." Hao declares with a puffed out chest earning a laugh from Jeanne.

"I can't even lie it did felt good it was like a shot of adrenaline just entered my body and I did not want it to end." Jeanne confesses to Hao, who merely wears a wide smile at the silver haired woman confession.

"I figured that much…" Hao chimes in before the waiter arrives back with their food in tow.

"So here is your Tuna sandwich and Market salad." He announces earning a nod from Jeanne as he places her food in front.

"And the Mararina pizza and the Homemade bread," Hao raises his hand slightly to show that it was his order before seeing a medium size pizza sitting in front of his followed by a basket of bread.

"If you need anything else just let me and I hope you enjoy your meal." Their waiter adds in before taking his leave once again.

"I'm starving." Jeanne proclaims after reaching for a napkin and placing it in her lap.

"Well then eat up then…" Hao jokes when notices her pick up her sandwich before biting into it.

1111

Lyserg and Morphine were soon making their way towards the back of the Funbari Inn after searching the front side of the Inn to find nothing there.

'_He has been here but it doesn't feel as recently as it could be.' _He inwardly thought recalling when Morphine makes a noise to tell him whenever she picked up on Hao's furyouki.

'_But for him to still have a trail here even when hasn't been here in a couple of days shows his ridiculously strong he is.' _

Morphine makes a slight noise breaking him out of his thoughts when he realizes that they were near the koi pond that was in the backyard.

'_I guess this seems to be one of his many hangout spots at the Inn.' _Lyserg grudgingly thought to himself. 

Morphine could sense her owner's distraught before materializing back into her true Shaman form, as a fairy.

She was directly in front of his face making noises almost as if she was talking to him. "I'm alright. Yes. I'm positive."

The guardian did not seem convinced when she noticed that her owner releases a sigh of frustration.

"I guess it is time to cut the search off don't you think? We are going nowhere with this." Lyserg proposes to his guardian.

Morphine did not supply an answer in her noise but instead choose to fly away from him as if to conduct her search of her own.

'_I'm so distraught that even my Morphine just abandoned me on my mission.' _Lyserg thought in disbelief.

A couple of minutes later the pink fairy returns to him while pointing in a direction so that he could follow her.

"Did you find something Morphine?" Lyserg poses in a joyful manner as the fairy continues to point in the same direction.

Lyserg nods his head to show that he understands and then starts to follow Morphine who was serving as his guide when he realize that they were entering the Funbari Inn.

'_I wonder whose job it was to check the inside of the Inn?' _Lyserg ask himself before noticing who it was when he runs past them keeping his eyes locked on Morphine.

He notices that the pink fairy turns a corner disappearing for a few seconds before reappearing in front of one of the hotel's door.

"Is that what you wanted me to see?" Lyserg inquires to his Shaman guardian, as she simply nods her head up and down.

Lyserg reaches out for the knob before bringing his hand back to his side, _'If I touch the door then my fingerprints will be evident…'_

Morphine flashes Lyserg a strange look as she continues to point at the door hoping that he would understand her gestures.

"I trust your judgment. I just don't want anyone to know that we dropped by unannounced on a mission to locate Hao's furyoku." Lyserg informs his guardian who seem to ease up on her actions.

Lyserg covers one of his hands with his green shirt and places it over the golden shiny knob before turning it clockwise.

He was surprised to find that the door was unlock, pushes the door slowly open before making his way inside of the hotel room.

"What in the world…"


	12. Chapter 12

"Ah man that was so delicious!" Hao declares after he finished consuming his slice of pizza.

Jeanne was just finishing up the last bits of her sandwich before reaching for her napkin that was on the top of her legs.

"I must say…this remind me so much of home." Jeanne mention with a smile on her face as she bring the napkin to wipe the ends of lips.

Her comment cause a small smile to appear on his face before he respond with a, "I do aim to please you know."

"That you do very well, Hao." Jeanne agree with her eyes closed and head leaned slightly to the side.

Hao wave her off, place both of his hands on his cheeks, and shake his head left and right while saying, "Oh stop it…you are making me blush."

Jeanne could not help but to laugh at Hao's antics as it seem to relieve an awkward moment between the two.

"So Jeanne, are you ready to call it a night or do you feel like staying out a little bit longer?" Hao questions the young woman sitting across from him.

Jeanne merely shakes her head in a no fashion that meant that she was not ready to head back to Hao's apartment yet.

"Well are you ready to get out of here?" Hao poses to her before she answers with a "Yes."

"But before we go, my gut is telling me that I have to use the little girl's room." Jeanne claim as she resurfaces the "gut" joke.

Hao give her the go ahead as she shift until she reach the end of the booth and make her way in the direction of the restroom.

It was then that their waiter returns with their receipt and place it on the table. "Here is your check, sir."

Hao thanks the waiter for the check and scan over the itemized receipt for any signs of miscalculation. _'Well that wasn't as bad.'_

Sounds of laughter catch his attention when he notices that the same group of guys was still causing a scene in the restaurant.

'_Imbeciles…' _he thought to himself with a roll of his eyes as he focus in on paying the bill.

1111

"What in the world?" Lyserg question once he enter the hotel room along with Morphine in tow, now in her fairy form.

The hotel room appears to be more like a high-tech surveillance room rather than a room suited for comfort.

Lyserg take a step forward into the room that was retrofitted with the latest high-speed technology which consisted of computers, monitors, cameras, and video tapes.

The door of the hotel room close behind him, which cause him to turn toward the door to find a pink haired woman clad in a pink kimono standing there.

"Just what do you think you are doing here…Lyserg?" the woman inquires of the reason as to why Lyserg was standing before her at this very moment.

"Tamao…you nearly scared me half to death." Lyserg mention with his hand where his heart is while breathing a sigh of relief.

"Don't change the subject…what are you doing here?" The pink haired woman name Tamao poses to the green haired boy in front of her.

Lyserg's eyes shift left, right, and then back on to her, "You know I'm usually not this straightforward type of guy…"

_'Why is he not telling me the truth? Does he think I'm not capable of figuring out what is going on.'_

Tamao narrow her eyes before she proclaim "You're beating around the bush with your answer Lyserg."

Lyserg did not immediately answer and chose to remain silent, which cause her to speak up once again. "You clearly have invaded Yoh's trust and faith in you by allowing the X-Laws to roam freely about on his family's property without properly informing him."

She instantly made him feel guilt but if only she knew the real reason as to why the X-Laws and himself were here at this particular moment maybe she'll show some lenience toward their cause.

"So I'm going to give you a third chance to answer my question. What are you doing here?" she repeats her question for the third time.

"Look Tamao, Lady Jeanne has been kidnapped." Lyserg start off which cause Tamao to soft her eyes and drop her arms to her side.

"Oh my god not poor Jeanne, do you have any idea as to who could have taken her from you all?" Tamao express her concern for one of her close friend.

Lyserg cut his eyes away from her and toward the floor before he reasons with her. "We have a clue but we don't want to point fingers until we have enough evidence, do you understand?"

"I think that I'm at least entitled to know who you all may possibly think it is since you did trespass onto Yoh's property." Tamao declare to Lyserg.

"You do have a point there…fine but you can't tell Yoh about any of this." Lyserg propose a deal between the two.

_'What makes this idiot think that I would make a deal with a spineless coward?'_

"I can't make a deal of that nature for I am under oath to tell what all that goes on in the hotel. I value that deal over the nature of this one." Tamao asserts her loyalty to Yoh rather than Lyserg.

_'Tamao is making this difficult then it already has to be...' _

Lyserg nod his head, "I value you your honesty and unwavering loyalty. However, we just want to take a look around the hotel to see if there were any clues that would led us to her."

"And you will not speak, mention or even use this room without my permission." Tamao add in to her demands.

"That's fine. So do you agree to the terms?" Lyserg pose to the pink haired woman who took a step next to him.

"Not until you tell me, who it is that you are looking for?" Tamao persist as she was now standing next to him.

"We are looking for…"

1111

Jeanne just finishes using the restroom when she can hear the sound of the restroom door open and close.

She unlocks the door of her restroom stall when she notices that there were men in the girl's restroom along with her.

"Uhm…excuse me." Jeanne catches the pair attention causing their eyes to focus and lock in on Jeanne.

"You do know that this is the woman's restroom, right?" Jeanne poses to them in a polite manner as they straighten up in their stance.

"Oh we're _well _aware of that." One of them says in a dark tone as the other was making their way over to where she was standing.

"My friend and I couldn't help but to be taken by your beauty." The man claims to Jeanne as he circles behind her before stopping to her left.

"But your little friend…would not allow us anywhere near you." The man in front of her states after he lean against the edge of the sink.

"So we decided to take matters into our own hands…and stumble into you in the girls' restroom all alone." The man behind her speaks.

"How lucky are we!" the man in front of her declares with a sadistic laugh as he cross his arms in front of his chest.

The man behind her roughly grabs both of her arms in a painful lock causing her to hiss in a deep breath. "You're hurting me!"

"Shut it toots…if you just close your eyes this whole thing will be over quickly." The man whispers in her ear causing Jeanne to try and worm her way out of his grasp.

"It seem as if we have a strong one here." The man in front of her informs his companion when the sounds of a zipper being unzipped catch her attention.

'_No I don't want this!' _she wanted to scream out until she could feel cold hands inching up her leg, thigh and to her underwear.

Jeanne tries to scream by the man keep his hand close tightly around her mouth that was starting to make her feel drowsy.

She could feel his cold hands pull her underwear down her thighs and to her legs, "Would you look at that she has on lacy underwear. Those are my favorite!"

Jeanne begin to blink away the water that was forming in her eyes as they soon begin to trickle down her face and on to the floor.

"Ah…did we make the poor little lady cry?" the man in front of her asks when the sound of a camera snapping catches her attention.

"Just in case you might try and take us to court. We will just post these embarrassing pictures all over the internet." The man threatens her with blackmail as he shake the phone left and

Jeanne eyes went wide when she saw the pictures that he took of her, _'No…I don't want everyone to see those!' _

"Hao…" she call out to her savior when she could feel her eye lids become heavy and the shift of her shirt causing her chest to spill out.

All she could hear next was a loud noise follow by someone's voice that was familiar and then her vision became blurry.

1111

"We are looking for Asakura, Hao," Lyserg identify who it was that they were looking for.

Tamao release a gasp with both of her hands clasp around her mouth, "You think that Hao _kidnapped _Jeanne?"

"Well speaking from a personal stance I don't think, I know that he took her." Lyserg explain to the pink haired woman.

_'A personal stance? What does he mean by that?' _

"This would definitely be most troublesome especially if Yoh caught wind of what you are accusing his older brother of." Tamao conveys her sense of disappointment.

Lyserg close his eyes and ease his shoulders, "It saddens me to even say anything about it but if we gather the right clues then we can properly accuse him of his injustice."

"I can't believe it…" Tamao express her doubt of Lyserg's accusation.

_'Something's not adding up here Hao kidnapping Jeanne? He would never do anything of that to Jeanne!'_

He turn to face Tamao, place both of his hands on her shoulders, and face her, "Even I had a hard time of thinking Hao was capable of such…sin but I'm afraid it could possibly be so."

"Hm, it seems as if I should reexamine which side I'm on then. I will help you if I catch wind of anything about Hao and Jeanne."

"I would greatly appreciate that Tamao-chan!" Lyserg exclaim with a small smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

"That is if you promise not to return back to the Funbari Inns without proper invitation or notification." Tamao injects.

Lyserg was taken aback by the demand of the request but thought it was feasible enough to follow. "Deal."

"Good. Now if you don't mind I think it is about time you and your friends excuse themselves from Yoh's property before I will have to do it myself." Tamao maintain her strong stance against Lyserg.

"Consider it done." Lyserg confirm with a nod of the head before he turn to take an exit from the hotel room.

Tamao observe the retreating back of Lyserg until he disappear from her sights, face one of the monitors and turn it on.

_'He really think that I would ally myself with his unjust cause...Lyserg is definitely easy to con.' _

"Did you find anything Lyserg?" A blond haired man with glasses poses to the green haired young male in front of him.

"We can't talk here there are eyes and ears everywhere." Lyserg comment as he glance to his left and to his right.

"So then we will take our leave….everyone lets go." Marco shouts as he round up the gang as they take their leave of the Funbari Inns ground.

Lyserg was the last of the X-Laws to leave as he was trying to locate any of the possible locations for cameras to be placed.

'_There's something not right about this situation.' _Tamao thought to herself before she flip the monitor off and make her way back to the front desk.


	13. Chapter 13

"What's going on in here?" Jeanne could make out the sound of a familiar voice yet it was drowned out due to what she had been forced to inhale.

She shifts her head in the direction of the voice to see a very blurry image of Hao, who was now in the ladies' restroom.

'_Oh thank God! I'm saved!' _Jeanne inwardly thought as relief quickly floods over her body when she realizes Hao was there to protect her.

"Sean, go get rid of him." The man who had Jeanne pinned down ordered his friend as he started to crack his knuckles in the process.

Hao merely observes as the man, name Sean, approaches him and strikes up a conversation with him. "Hey there buddy, I'm going to have to ask you to step out so we can handle some important business here."

"For me to turn my back on you two attempts to forcefully deflower a young woman is just something that I just can't turn my back on." Hao comments as he takes a step past Sean in order for him to get closer to Jeanne.

He then sniffs the air before he raise an index finger at the man, who had Jeanne pinned down. "Then you have the nerve to suffocate her with what smells like chloroform. I simply can't accept that offer gentlemen."

The man seemed rather uncomfortable with the fact that Hao was so close to his face, "However, there is a deal that I would like to extend to you."

"How about if you leave now then I won't take your lives? Take your pick fellas since you have less then five seconds to answer my deal." Hao proposes to the two guys in the restroom with him.

"Forget you man!" Sean proclaims as Hao merely shakes his head at the two men's stupidity.

"I don't want you to see any of this Jeanne. Close your eyes for me." Hao comments as he extends his right hand forward until it lands on her right cheek and caresses it with his thumb.

Jeanne instantly registered whose warm touch that was against her cheek as she could feel her eye lids become extremely heavy until she could no longer see what was going on in front of her.

"Now that that's been taken care of…" Hao says when he removes his hand from against her cheek as gusts of winds quickly wraps around his body. "You two have my full attention."

1111

"What was the sudden rush off of Yoh's property for Lyserg?" Marco poses to the green haired male, who sat across from each other.

Lyserg taps his index finger against his cheek before he turns to face Marco, "There was an unexpected speed bump in the plans."

"Tamao, a close friend to both Yoh and Anna, was serving as the temporary inn keeper. I didn't expect her to be there." Lyserg informs Marco of the identity of the speed bump.

Marco seem to nod his head in a understanding fashion before he response with, "It seems as if we're are back to square one with the plans then?"

Lyserg shakes his head in a no fashion, "Actually we just discovered our ace in the hole at the Funbari Inns. Now all we have to do is play our cards right and hope that Tamao would land in our back pocket."

"You seem rather confident about your plan." Marco notes the change from Lyserg's typical quiet, cowardice and obedient behavior. "We will continue to follow your lead if you feel so strongly about it."

"Thanks for believing in me." Lyserg wanted to verbalize yet when Hao's image pops up in his head he quickly derails the comment.

'_I just want Lady Jeanne to be alright and safe within our company.'_

1111

Jeanne's upper body quickly shots forward, releases a short loud scream and begins to feel over her body with both of her hands.

'_Was that a bad dream?' _she inwardly asks while her eyes quickly darts from left to right in order to take in her present surroundings.

Jeanne drags one of her hands down her face pulling downward on her cheeks in the process, _'I guess it was just a nightmare.'_

The sound of the television can be heard but it sounds as if was a buzzing noise when she calls out for Hao. "Hao? Where are you?"

There was no immediate answer to either one of her question as she decides to survey her surroundings.

'_What's that smell?' _She thought to herself when an aroma hits her nose as she starts to feel her way around the dimly lit room with both of her hands.

The sound of a kettle steaming could be heard followed by the clicks of China against one another. The sight of a familiar brunette haired male causes a wave of relief to overcome her psyche and body.

"Ah crap…I mess that…uh…" He mumbles to himself as he turns the knob to the left and clicks the stove top off.

A smile stretches across her face since it was rare to see a confused Hao attempt to make tea. "You can either put the powder in first then add the water or the other way around. I prefer to pour the powder in first so I know how much tea I will have left."

Hao chuckles to himself and starts to follow Jeanne's instructions before he asks, "Did you enjoy your nap?"

"I took a nap?" Jeanne asks in a confused manner as she brings one of her hands to her temple as if to recall what happened from last night.

He turns around and hands her one of the white teacups that was filled with steaming hot liquid as it seems to soothe her tense muscles in her body.

"Are you sure because I remember a pizzeria after the movie and eating a sandwich and then going to the restroom?" Jeanne recalls the flashing blurry images when she attemts to remember yesterday.

Hao releases a sigh, which cause his shoulders to drop, "I have never been one to lie to you Jeanne and I don't want to start now but…"

Jeanne takes a sip of her tea and deems it still too hot for another sip. "The reason why you can't remember anything past the restroom is because of chloroform."

"Chloroform? What is this chloroform that you speak of Hao?" She questions Hao as to what was trying to tell her.

"It is a very nasty thing to deal with if you're on the receiving end of it but it's very potent for sick people to use so their victims won't be able to remember a thing." Hao explains to Jeanne about chloroform as he takes a sip of tea.

Jeanne head quickly snaps away from her tea and toward before she asks him "What are you trying to say Hao? That someone tried to _kill _me?"

Hao shakes his head in a "no" fashion before he corrects her with, "Not kill more along the lines of...rape."

Jeanne eyes widen at the statement as she nearly chokes from taking another sip of her tea, "Are you serious?"

"I told you that I didn't want to lie to you and I didn't want you not to know what happened either." Hao explains his reason as to why he told her about last night.

Jeanne was trying to process all what was happening before she speaks up, "Thank you for keeping your promise of honesty to me."

Hao felt a burden remove itself for his chest when he hears her statement, "Are you sure you will be fine with this?"

Jeanne nods her head up and down and takes a sip from the cup yet there were a lot of thoughts running through her mind at the moment.

"Well breakfast will be ready in a couple of minutes. Do you want something to drink?" Hao redirects the subject of their conversation.

"Yes but I can get it since you're busy at the moment." Jeanne quickly mentions when she spots Hao about to step away from the stove and toward the refrigerator.

1111

'_I thought that if we at least start at the Funbari Inns then just maybe we could come across a clue but I discovered something more.' _ Lyserg thought as he maintains his position of sitting on the edge of the hotel bed with his hands interlace covering his mouth.

A release of a held breath causes him to straighten his back in order to maintain proper posture and spinal alignment.

'_I still can't believe Yoh has that much security for the Inn.' _He mentally notes about the high class equipment he noticed while he was in the room.

Lyserg also thought it was weird that Yoh did not tell his friends of his recent renovation to the Funbari Inns.

'_He usually would tell us about any new project going on in the Inn unless…' _Lyserg concludes since it was out of Yoh's character to not keep the group inform that is until his mind conjures up an image of Yoh's wife and her nature.

Now it was starting to make sense to him, _'Well at least I got to see Tamao if anything although the conversation was borderline hostile.'_

He merely shakes his head before he turns his attention to the alarm clock that sits off to his right. _'It's about time to get up and begin to look for more clues.' _

The sight of Hao's untimely demise wills him off of the bed along with a small smile present on his face.

'_Today's going to be better than yesterday.' _

1111

Hao casually observes Jeanne's action as she was hesitant in eating her food at first before she really begins to dig in.

'_At least she's eating food.' _ He thought to himself as he resumes consuming his own morning creation.

He was silently beating himself up at how lax he had been yesterday night to the point he slight drop his guard.

'_If I hadn't come any earlier than I did then Jeanne would have been taken by those bastards.'_

_ 'It would have been my entire fault too since I was supposed to protect her.' _

_'I allow her to have freedom rather than confinement and look at what was about to happen under my care.' _

_'I'm no better than those lapdogs, who she calls her family.'_

Jeanne glances up from her food when she realizes that Hao was intensely focused in on his food rather than striking up a conversation with her.

She places her silver fork against a small empty portion of her plate and begins to study Hao's current facial expression.

Jeanne's primary thought was since his brows were closely knitted, which also meant that it was something he found bothersome, frustrated or maddening. _'He's deep in thought about something.' _

Jeanne knew it was recent when she recalls how Hao told her how he tries to keep his mind either toward the future or the current present and how only sorrowful people remain rooted in the past.

It was then that she realizes that _'He's thinking about what happened to me last night' _and _'He probably blames himself for it.'_

She pushes away from the kitchen table, removes herself from her seat, walks toward Hao, stops at his side, lifts her arms up, and encloses her arms around Hao's next.

"It's alright." She whispers to him as she tightens her hold around him and brings the side of his head to the valley of her bosoms.

"I'm safe." She reassures him with a rub of her chin against the crown of his head. "I'm still by your side."

Hao's reaction to her statements was what she had expected it to be. He drops his fork by the side of his plate, loops both of his arms around her waist, and leans his head further into her chest.

Jeanne decides to remain quiet since Hao needed this time to vent and express all of the emotions that he had about the situation.

She knew all too well how sensitive Hao could be when it comes down to his duties and responsibilities whenever it concerns her and her safety.

At first, she thought it was an horrible nightmare where she could not arouse herself up from when she discovered that information via Hao.

However, as much hatred she initially felt for the brunette haired male, she found it in her heart to forgive a lost soul such as Hao since it was preached heavily in her congregation.

If it was not for her empathy and ability to forgive, she would have never been able to witness Hao at his weakest moments, when she thought that no such thing existed.

Yet he trusted her enough for him to expose himself to her and would often time seek her comforts no matter the distance, in order to show his humanity.

She felt honored and humbled that he went through great lengths to cloak his feeling and emotions from others except for her.

After all, she was his sole weakness.


	14. Chapter 14

"Good morning, Lyserg," Marco greets the green haired male once he enters inside of his personal hotel room.

"Ah good morning to you too, Marco," He returns the greeting out of a sense of being polite to the older male along with a small smile present on his face.

"Are you ready to continue with discovering clues as to where Lady Jeanne could possibly be?" Marco poses to the green haired boy, who remains steadfast by the hotel's door.

'_What kind of question is that Marco? Are you trying to test my faith in finding Lady Jeanne? Do you think that I have wavered in the slightest?'_

Lyserg did not hesitate to respond with, "I'm ready to lay my life on the line if it means that Lady Jeanne will be safely brought back to our side without any harm to come to her."

'_He matured a lot from the time he had relentlessly pursued us to join our ranks so he could enact his revenge on Asakura, Hao.' _

Marco brings his index finger to the middle of his glasses and pushes them back up on to the bridge of his nose. "That resilience is an admirable characteristic of your personality."

Lyserg answers with a "Thank you" and a bow of his head to display his respect for Marco's compliment of his personality.

"So what time does the team need to be in the lobby and ready for today's expedition of clues?" Marco quickly poses to the boy after he turns to face him face to face.

"I will allow them some time to eat some breakfast so they can have energy for today's search." Lyserg replies after he cuts his eyes over to the clock to see what time it is.

Marco covers the distance between him and Lyserg, pauses right next to him, and mentions, "That sounds like a plan to me. I will be on my way to inform the others of the plan."

Lyserg simply watches as the blonde haired leader of the X-Laws makes his way out of his hotel room leaving him to his personal thoughts.

He lifts one of his hands up until it covers his face when a thought pops up in his head. '_I don't think Marco is no longer fit to serve as the X-Laws leader anymore. He's weathered and old._'

'_Someday…the X-Laws will no longer have to answer to Marco but rather myself if they want to maintain their positions within the group.'_

'_And once I assume full leadership and have Jeanne-sama back in our care then the only thing that's left to deal with…is that insignificant pest.'_

A small smile graces his face as he quietly chuckles to himself, _'I will have Hao beg me for mercy to spare his worthless life once this whole fiasco is over and done with.'_

1111

Jeanne POV

Jeanne knew that Hao needed the comfort that the silence around them had established as his face firmly remain planted in the valley of her bosom.

She continues to run her fingers through Hao's brunette tresses as a sign of continuous comfort along with her steadfast stance of not leaving his side.

The outside noises seem to flood inside of the rather quiet sanctuary of Hao's apartment yet it did not concern Jeanne too much since she felt his head suddenly shift from underneath her grasp.

She glances down into Hao's chocolate brown orbs before she inquires "Are you feeling any better?"

He did not verbally respond instead he simply returns his head back to its previous location as he further tightens his hold around her petite waist.

"I won't leave your side until you're better." She firmly states in a reassuring tone when she can hear Hao had muffled a response against her chest.

Jeanne leans in closer so she could hear whatever it was that Hao was trying to say into her chest, "Your presence is soothing."

A blush spreads across her cheeks once she processes Hao's statement as she chimes in, "You have that same effect on me."

'_To think that if I was so gung-ho on having Hao killed for his previous heinous crimes then I wouldn't be able to see his kindhearted nature underneath the shell.'_

She silently shake her head at how one sided the X-Laws or her family boast about forgiveness yet never genuine implement it like she was able to do especially towards the "devil" himself, Asakura, Hao.

Jeanne returns her attention back to Hao to see if there was any movement of his head however there still was none beside the one from earlier.

'_I just wish the X-Laws could see what I see inside of Hao…a mislead soul, who had to unearth what life was and is on his own.'_

'_Even I had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that the Iron Maiden wasn't for my benefit since it served as more of the box which kept me from seeing the outside world on my own.'_

She ceases running her finger through his hair, brings her arms around his neck and gently tightens the hold around him.

'_I would have never been able to discover the source of my growing sadness and depression if Hao had not challenged me to remove the barrier that kept me safe.'_

'_It is kind of ironic how I wanted to take his life and yet...he gave birth to mines.'_

She decides to rest her cheek against the crown of his hair and inhales deeply with the blush still present on her face.

1111

Yoh covers his nose with an index finger when he could feel a sneeze coming on. "Achoo!"

Anna pauses from the magazine that she was casually flipping through and casts her gaze on to her husband to see him rubbing his nose against one of his fingers.

"Are you catching a cold?" she inquires as she narrows her gaze in on the brunette haired male, who merely rubs underneath his nose.

Yoh merely shrugs his shoulders up and down while he replies, "Who knows?"

Anna merely rolls her eyes at her husband's nonchalant manner of answering her question whenever it was on the topic of his health.

She returns her eyes back to the glossy pictures that were splayed across the magazine spread and claims, "It will be all on you if you were to end up becoming sick on our honeymoon."

Yoh pushes the button to let his seat back in order for him to get comfortable and rests his head against his interlace fingers.

A "tsh" was mutter to his left as his eyes simply survey his surroundings when a thought hit him. _'I wonder if Hao is behaving well back at home.'_

Before Yoh was about to nod off to take his daily nap, he opens one eye and responses with, "Oh...I think we just past our stop."

Anna once again breaks her attention away from her magazine and turns her attention to the changing scenery outside.

"Yoh!" She shouts at the top of her lungs and slams the magazine down in her lap. The other passengers on the bus jumps from shock at the sudden sound of Anna's high pitch voice.

A lazy smile appears on his face as he simply spectates his wife's over the top reaction to his statement. _'I was going to tell her that we have two more stops left.'_

'_Nah…I'll let her sweat a little so I can drop a quick nap.' _He thought to himself as he stifles a yawn with one of his hands and dozes off to sleep.

1111

Lyserg makes his way downstairs to the main lobby of the hotel room and detours toward the dining area so he could gather up the X-Laws so that they can head out for today.

The sight of Marco's blonde hair instantly catches Lyserg's attention since it stood out among the other dark haired people surrounding them.

He approaches the table as he silently counts how many X-Laws were present when he thought to himself, _'Good…everyone's here.'_ "Is everyone ready to go?"

The group immediately ceases their conversation by the time the green haired male stops and stands directly in front of them.

They exchange glances with one another as they seem to be in the middle of consuming their morning breakfast with a delightful conversation discuss among each other.

"It seems as if we allowed ourselves to get comfortable again. By the way Lyserg, how are you doing this morning?" Meene questions Lyserg with a wide smile present on her face.

'_Uhm am I the only one who's concerned with Lady Jeanne's welfare? Jeanne-sama would be highly disappointed if she knew that_ _they were acting this lax and carefree.'_

Lyserg fought down the urge to roll his eyes that would display his impatient side and answers her question with, "I'm doing fine. What about yourself, Meene?"

"You look like you could use some food. I think there still serving some food over there so you better get it before it's all gone." Meene advises him as she points her syrup covered fork over to the serving line.

"Fine" Lyserg agrees with Meene since he knew it was a losing battle in matching wits with a so call motherly figure such as Meene.

'_I need to crack them from the inside out in order to start my successful campaign of overthrowing Marco from the leadership position. But who should I choose to help me with this?'_

He cuts his gaze over to where the other members where sitting as they continue to happily chat away about something.

'_They're all loyal to Jeanne-sama so if I twist my motive and claim it's for the outright search of her then I can have their support. John, Prof, Larch, Chris, and Meene don't really hold a grudge toward Hao but he does…'_

Lyserg turns back around after he spots the person who it is that was going to be the catalyst for his campaign. _'This will be easier than I thought.'_

1111

Hao POV

'_She's still here.' _He thought to himself when he could feel her fingers grazing up and down the length of his hair in a repetitious motion.

The simple gesture allows him to relax in her presence and her presence only. Her arms provided him warmth that rivaled one emitted from the Great Spirit itself yet it was not as devastinngly destruction but rather a soothingly gentle warmth.

'_Only she's allowed to see me like this…no one else has that privilege.'_

Hao removes his face from the comforts of Jeanne's bosom and leans his back until they unknowingly lock eyes with one another.

'_The guilt is still there but her eyes still hold that innocence that I want to protect with my life.' _He had tighten his grip to make sure that she was still there besides him

'_I'm glad the light hasn't dim even after what happened yesterday night at the pizzeria.' _

It was then that Hao could hear Jeanne's melodic voice ask him, "Are you feeling any better?" _'I can't look at her eyes any more…I felt as if I failed her.' _

'_Why can't I find my voice to answer that question?' _He thought as he returns his face back to the place that offers him comfort.

"I won't leave your side until you're better." She firmly states to me which cause me to response but it came out muffled since I was against her chest.

He could feel her weight lean against his body when he decides to repeat what he mutters in between her bosom. "Your presence is soothing."

'_How would she respond to that?'_

Hao figures that he left her speechless with his statement but a smile appears on his face when he hears her say, "You have that same effect on me."

After a brief pause, he could no longer feel Jeanne's finger through his hair, which cause him to think, _'Is there something wrong?' _

His previous thought was quickly erased from his mind when he could feel her arms wrap themselves around his neck and gently squeezes the hold around him.

Hao could feel her cheek pressed against the top part of his head and takes a deep inhale of air, which caused her chest to rise from the air her lungs just received.

The natural action combined with the steady beating of her heart soothes all of the doubts and worries that he had for his actions. _'She forgives me.'_

"Hao," she whispers to him as she waits a couple of seconds before she continues to speak, "Thanks for freeing me."

'_You've become my weakness as well.' _


	15. Chapter 15

Lyserg merely stares out of the taxi cab window at the ever changing scenery before his eyes. His thoughts constantly fixed on the images of Lady Jeanne's joyful expression once they manage liberate her from the clutches of that demon.

He clutches his fist and releases it from the built up tension and anger that he had felt at that precise moment. _'I have to think how Hao would think.'_

Lyserg shakes his head left and right when he thought, _'I can never bring myself to think like that monster!'_

He turns his attention toward the individuals who were in the cab along with him. _'If I can't have Hao's head then I will at least have the X-Laws as my faithful followers to my ideas.'_

Lyserg narrows his eyes in on the older man who would spark the small flame of catastrophe that would grow in to a wildfire of distrust.

A smirk appears on his face at his future plans, when he thought _'Yes. My future is so clear with this revelation.' _

He returns his attention back to the window and observes the scenery however he could not really pay close attention like he previously did.

Yet he soon realized that his primary goal was to obtain Lady Jeanne away from Hao. He releases a deep sigh out of frustration, _'Why is it that we can't find any clues dealing with Hao?'_

1111

Hao personally wanted to stay in their current position for a little bit longer but knew that eventually Jeanne would become tired from standing in her position for too long.

Jeanne could feel Hao's head move from underneath her cheek. "I still want you to enjoy the time that you are here with me."

A wide smile merely stretches across the silver haired maiden's face at Hao's statement. "I know you will keep that promise."

Hao's eyes danced with rejoice and happiness after he hears Jeanne's response to his statement. He closes his eyes and a similar smile appears on his face. "Alright then, we will leave once you finish getting dressed."

She nods her head to show that she understands, which causes Hao to releases her from within the lengths of his arms.

"It will only take me a couple of minutes to get ready." Jeanne happily responses before she takes leave from the kitchen.

Once she was out of earshot, Hao releases a heavy sigh before he felt a sneeze coming on. _'It seems as if those lapdogs can't keep my name out of their mouths.' _

A smirk appears across his face when he thought of the source of that emitted the hatred. _'The little green haired bastard is totatlly jealous of what I have.'_

Hao then glances down at his fist when another idea surfaces from within his thoughts, _'But I be damned if I just willingly hand over my lovely maiden, Jeanne, so easily…'_

1111

Jeanne steps foot inside of the quaint bathroom, walks toward the shower, pushes the shower curtain back and turns the knob away from her.

Water quickly gushes out of the shower in jet streams as she removes herself from the side of the shower.

She turns her attention to the clear mirror that she was now facing and notices her face was still a bright red color from earlier.

'_I only act like this around Hao.' _She thought to herself as she covers her mouth with one of her hands to stifle a girly laugh.

As she starts to remove her clothes, there was a sudden chill that ran up and down her spine. _'What was that feeling?'_

Jeanne scans the bathroom with her eyes before she quietly deems it as a part of her fleeting imagination.

With slight hesitation, she steps inside of the shower and welcomes the warmth jet spray of water hitting her tense body.

'_I just hope that Hao is able to smile again.' _She thought in a hopeful tone while she lathers her body with a sweet scented soap.

'_After all, he tries his hardest to make sure that I have one on my face at all-time...even if means that he has to suffer himself.'_

'_It's the least that I can do since he does so much for me.' _She recalls as she silently strengthens her resolve as the water washes the white bubbly suds away from her body.

She then turns the shower knob the other way and water ceases from flowing to the showerhead.

'_I wonder if I will be able to carry his burden on my own shoulder like he does for me.'_

1111

Hao releases a deep sigh as he removes himself from the surface of the wooden kitchen chair he was currently in.

He collects the plates that slightly cluttered the dining room table and gently places them inside of the silver sink.

'_She's slowly starting to come around.' _He thought as he plugs the stopper inside of the sink and reaches for the dish detergent.

Hao squirts some of the yellow colored liquid in a zigzag fashion, places the bottle back on the kitchen counter, twists the sink's handles, and runs the water until it was half-full.

His racing thoughts soon come across the X-Laws and their ill-fated search in trying to take Jeanne away from him.

'_That green haired brat really thinks he's going to have Jeanne to himself…he better think again.' _ He huffs at the thought.

He focuses in on his current activity so he would not shatter the delicate dishes from his sudden fit of anger.

'_Yet if he would've found out what happened then he would have never let you live that down.' _His consciousness suddenly reminds him.

A straight line appears across his face at his consciousness reminder, _'If Jeanne can make a full recovery then that's fine by me. Besides, who cares about what that little green haired twit says about me anyway?'_

'_Apparently you would because you value his opinion just as much as you value your precious time around your lovely maiden. Now don't you?'_

A "tsk" emits from Hao's mouth as he merely focuses in on his task in order to divert his attention away from his consciousness.

'_As if I would care…' _

1111

Lyserg releases an "achoo" before Menee offers him a pocket tissue in order to wipe his nose.

A quiet "Thank you" emits from Lyserg's mouth as he wipes his own nose with the soft white napkin and balls it up in his own hand.

"Are you sure you're not coming down with a cold?" Menee inquires toward Lyserg as he once again breaks his attention away from the scenery.

Lyserg snaps his head toward Menee direction and retorts in a haughty manner, "I appreciate that you're looking out for me but no I am not coming down with a cold."

Marco silently observes the interactions between the two and mentally notes Lyserg's behavior with his teammates.

'_It seems as if he's giving Menee a hard time again.' _He thought to himself as Menee quietly retreated to herself with a fake smile on her face.

'_But then again he doesn't want to be babied all of the time that he is with you all.' _His consciousness intervenes on Lyserg's favor.

'_We haven't been babying him. We are trying to get him to adapt to our system and regiments before we let him go out on his own.' _Marco retorts as he pushes his glasses back on the bridge of his nose.

'_Start treating him like a young adult and give him some type of responsibilities.' _His consciousness suggests to Marco.

He releases a sigh at how correct his inner voice was before he finds himself whispering, "Menee"

"Yes, what is it Marco?" the woman inquires as the false smile was still apparent on her face.

"It isn't polite to wear a fake smile when you have good intentions for the young man." he responses to her question with a serious expression on his face.

Menee seem to understand where Marco was coming from as she turns her gaze away from him to a distracted Lyserg.

"He had to grow up so fast with all the past events that happened to him. I couldn't help but to try and offer that to him." She states with a small smile present on her face.

She then returns her gaze back to Marco and finishes her explanation, "I guess you can call it my own version of maternal instincts."

Since Marco could not quite respond to the situation, he thought it would be best if he remained out of those two _problems _with one another.

'_Just as long as this team continues to work like a well-oiled machine then this kind of squabble shouldn't be too problematic.' _

1111

Once Hao cleaned the entire kitchen, Jeanne had entered in the kitchen fully dressed and announced, "I'm ready!"

He turned his head toward the direction of her voice and looked at what she was currently wearing.

Jeanne wore a dark green military style sleeveless vest on top of a white razorback t-shirt with a blue denim straight lined skirt that reached her mid-thigh, and brown thigh length boots with visible black socks. She had brushed her curly silver hair in to a side ponytail.

"Beautiful as always," Hao compliments her appearance with a genuine smile present on his face.

This caused Jeanne's face to change from a pink tint to a deep red color as she mumbles her, "Thank you" to Hao.

"Do you have everything you need?" he inquires as he continues to stare at his maiden's red face from shyness.

Jeanne nods her head up and down and mutters, "I have everything I need." _'I need to tell him what I thought of when I was in the shower._

Hao manages to catch Jeanne's statement before he directs her to the main entrance and exit of his apartment. _'It's now or never…'_

"You don't have to shoulder it by yourself." She mentions before she even takes a step toward Hao.

Hao swiftly snaps his head back to her direction after he mentally processed what it was that Jeanne had said to him.

"I can see that by you taking on my problems with the X-Laws and that unfortunate incident the other night; you feel my emotions by a hundred fold." Jeanne expresses her opinion.

"I don't want to force my problems on you if I can't even at least shoulder some of that burden for myself." She confesses to him.

"I feel as if I'm hurting you more that way so let me at least shoulder some of your burden so I can understand why you endure so much because you want to protect me." She tries to reason with him.

"Are you sure you want to do that? I mean once you have accepted _my _burden then there is absolutely no turning back once you made your decision. You know that right?" Hao inquires about how far Jeanne was willing to carry his own demons.

"I'm well aware and I'm more than ready to take it on." She quickly interjects with a determined expression on her face.

A smile of gratitude appears across Hao's face at his lovely maiden's determination to relieve some of his stress off of his weary soul.

'_If she feels so strongly about it…then what other choice do I have?' _he mentally notes with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Okay then." He speaks up and catch her attention. "Your request has been thought over, processed and I have come to have accepted your offer."

"Really?" Jeanne inquires with a hopeful expression present on her face, which causes Hao to nod his head up and down and response with a "Yes, really."

"Now come on…lets enjoy our day out together." He suggests with the same smile present on his face as Jeanne happily takes his arm within hers.


	16. Chapter 16

Hao and Jeanne emerges from inside of his apartment and out on the busy sidewalk that was occupied with other civilians, who were walking to their intended destination.

"So where are you taking me today, Hao?" Jeanne politely inquires as she maintains her hold on Hao's arm after they merge on to the sidewalk.

A smirk appears on his face when he answers with, "If I were to tell you that then it won't be a surprise anymore."

His statement causes a similar smile to appear on her face when she mutters, "I trust you."

"Oh trust me, I already know that." he confidently remarks with a cocky grin on his face. "So how much do you trust me?" he suddenly inquires as the smirk remains on his face when he looks at her.

Jeanne turns her gaze up toward him to see that he was now looking at her. Her cheeks flush slightly with a red tint when she cut her gaze away from him, "You know that I trust you with my life."

"I'm glad to hear that." He comments when he leads her off in to an slightly dark alleyway and away from the crowd.

"Hao, what is this? Where are you taking me? Just where are we going?" she inquires with a curious expression on her face before she could feel one of Hao's fingers pressed against her lips.

"Didn't we just have this discuss about trust, woman?" he jokingly retorts to the silver haired girl's question.

Jeanne could not help but to let out a small chuckle once Hao removes his finger from in front of her lips. "You're right. The key part of trust is not to question."

"I always knew you were a smart cookie." He compliments her before he instructs her to, "Now just hold on tightly."

Jeanne then feels Hao lift her up in his arms and carries her bridal style as he mumbles under his breath, "It's easier this way."

She closes her eyes and releases a deep breath when she suddenly felt gusts of breezes hitting against her face.

When Jeanne opens her eyes and casts her gaze off to her left, she watches as the buildings begin to shrink from her view. _'Are we flying?'_

Hao quietly observes Jeanne's reaction to flying when he mentally notes to himself, _'She's seems to be taking it in stride.' _

He could then feel Jeanne bury herself closer to his chest, which causes him to see her slightly shiver. _'I probably should have told her to wear long sleeves but then again…this feels nice.'_

'_Now where is that festival?' _he inquires to himself as he starts to recall familiar landmarks to guide him in the right direction.

1111

Lyserg notices a rather large amount of people gathered in what appeared to be the park.

'_I wonder what's going on over there?' _he thought to himself as he suddenly developed a feeling that that should be their next stop.

"Excuse me…" he catches the attention of the taxi cab driver, who briefly turns his gaze away from the road, to the rearview mirror, and then back to the road.

"Do you know what's going on over there?" Lyserg inquires, which causes the other X-Laws to turn their sights in the direction of the park.

The taxi cab driver copies their same action when the answer emits from his mouth, "It's a culture festival. They hold them at the park almost every other week…I think this week is about Japan and its culture."

'_Japan, huh?' _he asks to himself since it was something about that festival that was really bothering him as he places his back fully against the seat of the cab.

'_Wait a minute…' _he thinks to himself when it finally hit him, '_If I remember __Shamanism is a part of Japanese religion.'_

"Sir, can you please pull over to the park." Lyserg suddenly asks the taxi cab driver when an confused expression appears on the others' face.

"What is the meaning of this?" Marco was the first out of the group to question Lyserg's outburst about the park.

"I will explain that once we get there." Lyserg quickly comments as he merely focus in on going to the park.

Meene catiously observes Lyserg's reaction to seeing the park when she cuts her gaze to Marco, _'He seems restless whenever Lyserg is at the helm of us all.'_

"Are you sure we should trust his judgment?" Meene questions Marco's decision on putting Lyserg in charge of locating their fair maiden Jeanne.

Marco removes his focus from on the green haired male to the woman off to his left. "We should allow the child to prove himself worthy in a leadership role."

"You of all people should know what it's like when you feel pressure from the others to accomplish a mission." Menee voices her concern in a whispered tone.

Marco simply closes his eyes, releases a deep breath, and relaxes his shoulders, "We just can't keep treating him as if he is some child, Menee."

Menee was about to speak up again before Marco cuts her off, "I think you should at least give him a chance to provide that he is no longer a child."

She narrows her eyes in on him before she retreats to her side of the taxi cab. _'I can't believe this…'_

1111

Hao touches back down along with Jeanne in a dense patch of trees that shields any passerby from seeing a human being flying in the air and causing a hysterical scene in broad day light.

"We're here!" He cheerfully announces with a small smile on his face when he looks down and realizes that Jeanne was fast asleep in his arms.

'_Now would you look at that…' _he thinks to himself as he slightly leans forward, places her feet on the earth's surface, and shifts her body so that was leaning in to him.

Hao gently rolls Jeanne's upper body until it was in the crook of his right arm, places his left hand against her cheek, and pushes a strand of her bangs from in front of her face.

He could not help but to admire her angelic facial features as she slept soundly in his presence. _'She tries so hard to make sure everyone else is happy never allowing herself to let loose.'_

At that moment, an idea on how to wake her up hits him as his smile curls in to a devious smirk before he leans closer to her face.

Hao gently presses his lips against her light pink lips when he could feel her move from being startled by the brunette haired male's action.

He could feel her tense out of shock but she soon relaxed once she realized whose lips were against hers.

Hao merely separates himself away from Jeanne when he needed to take in a breath of oxygen. Her usually pale face was flushed with a bright color, eyes tightly closed, and her lips were still puckered.

"That…" he speaks up with a smirk on his face, "…was for falling asleep during the flight."

Jeanne's face was a bright red color as she brings the palm of her hands against her cheeks in a shocked fashion.

His smirk turns in to a wide smile as he closes his eyes and simply responses with, "Now that you have learned your lesson…let's get out of here before someone catches us in the middle of our _sinful _act."

Jeanne merely nods her head once, returns her hands to her side, and walks in front of him with her face still a bright red color.

Hao tilts his head to the right and could only chuckle at the silver haired girl's reaction. _'She's so cute when she is embarrassed.' _

He quickly turns his attention to a yellow taxi cab that enters in his line of vision when he had this sudden feeling of dread.

'_It's something about that cab…'_

1111

"Yoh," Anna calls for her husband's attention but he seemed too lost in a daze and ignores her call.

'_I haven't recieved a phone call yet…' _he mentally notes to himself when he concludes, _'so that means he has been good.' _

His thoughts consists of his brother when he remembers that a certain silver haired maiden with red eyes would be more than happy to keep him company.

A wide smile stretches across his face at the thought of those two together even after all of these years have passed.

He could recall the stories Hao would boast about to the guys yet he never mentioned any particular names but Yoh could tell from the interaction of the pair, who the identity of the woman is.

'_I have a feeling that those two will look out for each other.' _He thought to himself with a slight chuckle at that particular thought.

It was then that a breeze gently kisses his face and lifts his long brunette hair upwards off of his back.

'_I can foresee a bright future ahead for those two.' _He happily thinks to himself when he notices that his wife strolls up to his side.

'_Yeah…I can see it now.' _

1111

Everyone in the X-Laws piles outside of the taxi cab with Marco and Lyserg standing in front of them.

Lyserg merely observes the stream of people, who were walking in and out of the culture festival, and tries to spot a woman with silver haired and red eyes.

"We will have to split up in to pairs again so we won't be as easily noticeable." Lyserg issues out an order to the X-Laws.

"Are you sure that Lady Jeanne could be here?" Chris inquires with a serious expression present on his face.

For some reason, Lyserg was about to explain why he instructed the cab driver to pull over to the larger of the two when Marco extends his arm out in front of him.

"Chris…" Marco's stern voice suddenly interjects, which earns him looks from the others who were slightly caught off guard by his action.

"We will not continue to question Lyserg's actions any further after today." He proclaims to the group as he returns his arm to his side.

Marco clears his throat before he explains his outburst, "I believe he has been around us long enough that he has earned some type of trust from us."

The other X-Laws, excluding Lyserg and Meene, takes heed to Marco's word as final as Chris offers a form of apology to the green haired male.

"We will split up in the pairs that we had when we were searching the grounds of the Funbari Inn. We will convene at this same point…" Marco glances down at the watch on his wrist and supplies an answer, "…in less than two hours."

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the park, Jeanne takes in the sights of the festival and the people who seem to be enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells around them.

She glances over her right shoulder and watches Hao casually strolls up to her with his hands in his pockets.

"Come on slowpoke…" Jeanne shouts as she waves for him to speed up in his rather relaxed stride.

"I'm glad to see that you're rather happy about this." He mutters to himself as he allows his eyes to scan the faces of the people around them.

'_So far…so good…' _he notes when he watches Jeanne moves from booth to booth with wide eyes as she points out items that catches her eyes.

Hao continues to maintain his causal stride and cautious eyes on the people around them when he hears Jeanne calls for his attention. "Look at that Hao…"

He cuts his gaze away from the crowd and in the direction of Jeanne to see her point at a booth that specializes in flower arrangement, or Ikebana.

"Isn't this pretty?" Jeanne asks for his opinion of the booth once he walks up next to her side.

Hao leans closer to Jeanne's ear and whispers, "I see something that's even prettier" this causes her cheeks to turn red once again.

Before Jeanne could thank Hao for the compliment, the sound of static can be heard followed by a "excuse me".

"There will be a presentation of the performing arts that covers the theatre aspects of Japan! So be dazzled by the styles of noh, kyōgen, kabuki and bunraku! Performances will be taken place at the stage by the gazebo in less than fifteen minutes."


	17. Chapter 17

"Meene, I want you to go with Lyserg this time." Marco announces, which causes both Meene and Lyserg to stare at him with expressions of confusion on their faces.

"What!" the both of them shrill in unison after hearing Marco's announcement about the change in pairs.

"You two heard what I just said." Marco retorts in a calm manner after he notices the shock expression on both of their faces.

"Why are you pairing me up with her?" Lyserg voices his opinion as he points his index finger toward Meene at the same time.

Meene merely rolls her eyes at how immature Lyserg was currently acting. _'I can't believe the nerve of this little boy!'_

"For someone who is placed in charge of this mission by Marco himself, you're sure not acting like the leader that you are supposed to be." She counters as she folds her arms across her chest.

Lyserg was absolutely livid and was starting to see red out of anger at Meene's comment, _'How dare this old wench say that about me?_

Marco swiftly interrupts Lyserg before he could provide a rebuttal to Meene's statement, "Don't say another word you two."

"I trust that you two will put aside your differences for the sake of locating Lady Jeanne." Marco sternly replies as it causes the two of them to freeze in their actions.

The two merely exchanged stares filled with pure animosity at one another before they both release an "ump" from their mouths.

"As I thought…" Marco comments with a knowing expression on his face, "…everyone move out."

The others immediately disperse from their current position and merges among the crowd of people who were attending the festival in order to blend in.

An awkward silence settled in among the two as it seemed neither one of them wanted to be the first to bend over and submit to the other.

"So can we put our differences aside for Jeanne's sake?" Meene inquires because of her strong resolve on finding Jeanne-sama.

"Fine…" Lyserg huffs out his answer, places his arms at his side, and rolls his eyes to display his willingness to submit, "…but its only because I value Lady Jeanne's safety above anything else in this world!"

Meene merely observe the green haired boy's reaction to her question. _'He's fiercely loyal to the cause but there is something else there…'_

'_His irritability stems from somewhere that is about Jeanne and her abduction_. _But what is it?' _

1111

Hao notices that Jeanne's eyes held genuine curiosity and wonderment as she quickly moves about from booth to booth.

'_As long as she enjoys herself…I could care less about the purpose of this festival.' _He inwardly concludes when he realizes that Jeanne approaches him.

"Is this how you used to live when you were in Japan, Hao?" she inquires about his lifestyle of one of his former lives.

Hao glances around at the sights that they were currently in the middle of. _'Some of these things are familiar yet not all of it.'_

He then cast his gaze in the direction of the silver haired woman in front of him. _'Then again…how can I say negative things around her?'_

"It sort of does remind me of home." Hao comment, which causes a wide smile to stretch across her face and a "wow, really?" to emit from her mouth.

"From your apparent excitement, I take it that you haven't been to Japan yet?" Hao inquires after he observes Jeanne's reaction to his previous statement.

Jeanne physically shakes her head left and right causing her curls to bounce from the sharp movements, "I was only permitted to stay in Paris but when the Shaman tournament came around I was allowed to go to the United States."

'_Such a free spirit among close minded people…I wonder how she lasted so long without going crazy.' _He inwardly ponders but knew that Jeanne was stronger than he was in this aspect.

'_Yet she continues to look at the world around her with a high sense of curiosity.'_ He notes after he narrows his sights in on her gentle face.

'_I'm kind of… jealous.' _He concludes to himself as he reaches his right hand out to her but stops when Jeanne had turned away from him.

"Oh…let's go see that booth over here." She declares as she points at one of the numerous booths that were lined up on their left and right.

"What do you say about that?" Jeanne asks when she turns her head back in the direction of where Hao was standing.

He quickly returns his outstretched arm back to his side so it would not look weird and raise questions from the woman in front of him.

A similar smile appears on his face when he response with a "Sure let's go" and catches up to her as she sprints head of him.

'_She gives me all the freedom that I need in this life.' _

1111

"Do you think those two will work together?" Chris was inquiring about the potential outcome of having two people who currently dislike each other at the moment working together as a team.

"They have no other choice but too." Marco confidently remarks as he scans the crowd for the silver haired woman known as Lady Jeanne.

"Were you looking at the same thing that I was?" he interjects with a question of disbelief before he explains why he feels that way. "Lyserg wanted to rip off Meene's head!"

"That's your opinion based off of your own observation." Marco identifies the reason why Chris was thinking the way he was.

"My job as the leader is to make unbiased decisions and remain in a just position with the benefits of the team before the individual." He informs Chris about the duties of his position.

"If I were to allow Lyserg to be paired up with whoever he likes then he wouldn't be able to learn adaptability and he will gain a sense of egotistical arrogance."

"After all, our strength lies in our teamwork and our ability to fully trust each other." He explains the reason why he paired the two up together.

"So you already assumed that if we were in a 'war' situation and those two had to be paired up with each other that they would already be used to each other?" Chris attempts to sum up what it was that Marco was trying to tell him.

"War is an inevitable thing for people who have our kind of powers."

"Besides I have this feeling that once we finally locate Jeanne…Hao won't let her go so easily."

"I wonder why Hao has this _thing _for Jeanne-sama."

"Whatever that thing is I plan to ask him when were are face to face or in person that is."

"Are you confident that he would even respond to your question since he views us as mere lapdogs that serve to restrict our lady?"

"His ego will force him to answer my question when he feels that he has the upper hand in the situation."

1111

Hao could not shake the awful feeling that he had ever since he brought Jeanne to the festival. _'My shaman senses are tingling…which means that they're here.'_

As much as he wanted to remove Jeanne from the latent situation of running in to the X-Laws at the park, he could not bring himself to act on the task since she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

'_How long will she remain happy with me before her worries about her companions ultimately make her leave?'_

"Jeanne…" he calls out to her once he appears next to her side when he notices the vendor hand her an item.

"What do you think about this fan?" Jeanne inquires as she snaps the fan downward revealing its elaborate decorated paper.

She starts to wave the fan and forth and asks, "Do you think it makes me look mysteriously alluring?"

"Oh I'm not worthy of an intense stare from a beautiful maiden such as yourself. Please cast your gaze elsewhere or my heart will smolder leading me to my early grave."

Jeanne slightly giggles behind the fan before she clears her throat to respond to Hao, "I shall do no such thing for it was your commanding presence that drew my eyes in your direction. No such man has had this effect on me so please deem me worthy of your gaze."

"Forgive me for being so hasty with my straightforwardness but I must inquire to the reason why such a stunning woman is unaccompanied through these unpredictable and potentially hostile roads."

"Unfortunately, I have been separate from my traveling party and I utterly have no clue as to where they could possibly be. You are the first to extend such a gracious offer to someone who you do not know fairly well."

"Well it seems as if you have a guardian that watches over you and guide you to the just person in this world, such as someone like me, who was trained in the way of Bushido. I will provide not only aide but protection until we are able to locate you're party."

"I am forever in your debt kind sir. How will I ever be able to repay you for such a genuine offer that you will provide me with?"

"No monetary value is required just your endearing companionship to ward off the dredges of loneness and despair."

"Why do you ask so little of me benevolent gentleman?"

"It was your gaze and your gaze alone that has stricken my heart with thoughts of warmth and comfort."

The sound of loud applause could be heard which breaks them away from each other's deep gaze when they realized that a crowd had formed around them and had spectated their conversation.

"Excuse me," a random stranger among the group speaks up once the clapping cease, "…but what was the name of your performance."

Jeanne blushes out of embarrassment at the comment, when Hao elects to answer the question "It was a small play that we preform called the "Lost Geisha and the Wanderer"."

Jeanne simply turns her head in Hao's direction and silently notes at how creative the man on her left could be as mumurs of their performance was heard among the crowd.

"Now if you kind ladies and gentlemen don't mind, my costar and I must entertain others with our wonderful play." Hao suddenly announces when he places his right hand against Jeanne's lower back.

"Time for a stage left exit." He mutters to Jeanne as she response to the signal as she allows Hao to guide her through the crowd of people.

Hao glances over his shoulder to see if someone from the crowd was tailing them before he redirects his attention to Jeanne "Now wasn't that rather fun?"

"Where did all of that come from?" Jeanne curiously inquires about their sudden improve of a play that started from the vendor handing her a fan.

"That just means we know how to read each other and feel out what we were going to say next." He explains with a curt smile present on her face.

"The presentation of the performing arts that covers the theatre aspects of Japan will be taken place at the stage by the gazebo in less than ten minutes."

"We should hurry up so we can get good seats." Jeanne comments, which cause Hao to nod his head to show he understood.

1111

Lyserg pauses in the middle of his stride when he notices a large portion of the crowd move in the direction of the gazebo.

"It seems as if everyone is excited about the Japanese performances. What do you think about it?"

"At the current moment, I don't have time to think about trivial things such as that when Jeanne-sama's life hangs in the balance." Lyserg counters in a manner as if to remind Meene of their mission.

"There's a life outside of the realm of Jeanne…" Meene retorts with her fists against her hips and adds "…besides I think she willingly left with Hao because she was tired of us being overbearing."

"Don't you dare make those assumptions about Jeanne-sama!" Lyserg quickly snaps at Meene and her comment.

"She's holding on to her innocence while not being corrupted by that evil wicked excuse of a man." He firmly states his position.

'_He's slowly breaking. There's something more than just Jeanne's safety at stake…it's…' _she inwardly gasps once she realize the answer to her previous question.

"So unless you're going to speak in a positive manner about her don't open your mouth and interfere with the investigation."

'_I finally figured it out. His obsession stems from…'_


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: **Happy New Years! I know you have waited since Novemeber for this update and I appericate your patience with me and this story.

So without further ado, I would like present to you all the newest chapter in Serendipity: A Chance Encounter.

**1111**

"You sure are energetic about seeing the show, huh?" Hao revels to the silver haired woman as she intertwines her hand in his and guides him to the gazebo.

"I just want to get the best seats there!" she expresses her enthusiasm as they weave in and out of the flow of the crowd, who travels in the same direction as they were.

_'I guess since she really wants to get there as fast as possible then the least I can do is help her accomplish her goal…' _he concludes before an idea surface to his thoughts.

Hao increases his stride until he bypasses Jeanne and leads her to their designated destination.

Jeanne curiously stares at Hao's back when she suddenly feels a pressure emit from around him that increasingly expands until it surrounds her.

'_He's using his powers.' _she ponders as her eyes lock in on Hao when she overhears people's voices break her out of her thoughts.

"Quit pushing!" "It's not me." "We'll get there at the same time!" "Sheesh is that really necessary." "Calm down!""It feels as if someone's pushing me!""If you push again, fists will fly."

Their statements prompt Jeanne to cast her eyes to the left and right when she views the crowd literally part down the middle with each step that they take forward.

Her eyes widen once realization settles in that the sensation she felt from earlier was a force field that enshrouds her and Hao.

A grin stretches across her face after she processes his action and deems, _'He really is a good guy.'_

Hao cut his gaze behind him to see Jeanne with her eyes closed, head tilted, and a wide grin on her face.

His heartbeat increases at the sight of her face as he snaps his head back straight with a hue of pink around his cheeks and thinks, _'So cute.'_

Jeanne mutters a "thank you" to Hao, which causes his face to radiate a bright red color and steam shoots from both of his ears.

'_He's starting to open himself up a little bit more…' _she presumes right before he tightens his hold around her hand.

Jeanne glances up at his face with the same smile from earlier when she weighs to herself,'…_even if it will take an eternity…' _

'…_I won't give up on trying to shoulder his burden!'_ she strongly declares as her smile morphs to a smirk as she glances down at his hand in hers.

Jeanne squeezes his hand as her counterreaction to show that she was still in his presence and that she would remain there for as long as possible.

'_This is the Hao that I l….'_

1111

Meene simply stares at the green haired young man in front of her with a critical expression on her face.

She reflects on the brief conversation she had with him when she expresses her opinion on the idea that Lady Jeanne willingly left with Hao.

"_Don't you dare make those assumptions about Jeanne-sama!" "She's holding on to her innocence with not being corrupted by that evil wicked excuse of a man." "So unless you're going to speak in a positive manner about her don't open your mouth and interfere with the investigation."_

'_Lyserg's been like this ever since Lady Jeanne stormed out of the limousine and out in the middle of the highway.' _ Meene recalls the first incident between Lyserg and Jeanne.

_'Then again he could feel sorry about the fact that he spawn this whole entire thing on his own when he told us his opinion about Lady Jeanne's feeling plus the fact he was humilated when Hao trapped Morphine in a bind.'_

'_Not to mention the fact that he has been uptight after being assigned as the mission leader by Marco.' _

'_Lyserg hardly left the hotel room unless it was a group meeting to discuss further plans about the retrieval of Lady Jeanne. He barely ate and slept!' _She mentally collects the evidence.

'_He would blow a short fuse if one of us were to ever mention her and Asakura, Hao potentially being an item.'_

'_That's it!' _

She clasps one of her hands over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming out loud in realization, which earns a look from Lyserg.

"Did you see her?" he questions after he cuts his gaze to the older woman that walks behind him.

Meene fakes a cough noises, blames it on her allergies, and reports that she had yet to locate their lady Jeanne.

His sneers at her action and utters a "useless" underneath his tone as he jams his hands inside of his pockets and continues to scan the mass of people around them.

'_I wonder if Marco is aware of how critical this problem can be to Lyserg's health or better yet his sanity?' _she concludes to herself as she places herself on alert around the young man.

Meene watches as Lyserg leads her toward the gazebo where a concentrated amount of people await the start of the Japanese artistic performances.

"I pray to the Father for the safety of Lady Jeanne that we do not find her for I fear it would only yield catastrophic results." She mutters her hushed pray before she focuses in on the task at hand.

1111

"Right here is good!" Jeanne proclaims as they trek through blankets and people in order to locate a decent spot in order to spectate the show.

"Shall we…" he says as he motions for her to have a seat on the soft green grass.

Jeanne nods her head as she settles in on a comfortable position while Hao scoops out the various faces of the people around them.

'_No sign of them…yet...' _He presumes as he hunkers down next to her and leans back against his hands.

"I should have brought a blanket." Hao mumbles to himself after he realizes that most of the couples or groups brought a blanket to sit on.

Jeanne ears perk up at the sound of his statement and whirls her head in his direction to see his eyes off somewhere else.

His face displays a grave expression, which prompts her to erupt in a fit of giggles at how Hao views a lack of a blanket as a servere mishap on his part.

Hao eyes land on the giggling silver haired woman in front of him as he quirks an eyebrow at her current action.

"What's so funny?" he poses to her when Jeanne cracks one eye at him and precedes with her giggles to the point she clutches her stomach with her arms.

A smile surfaces to his face as he observes the silver haired woman reaction once she finishes her bout of laughter while she wipes a tear away with her right index finger and releases a "woo" sound.

"It's just a rare sight to see you so flustered about something such as a blanket." She expresses with a goofy smile evident on her face.

"You're right." Hao agrees as he sits forward from his hands while Jeanne nods her head in agreement.

He swiftly wraps his arms around her waist, lifts her upright, shifts his leg to the right, and positions her in front of him.

"…besides you already have a warm blanket whenever you need it." Hao utters in her right ear as his hands remain in their current position.

He notes how pink her face was while he rests his chin against her right shoulder, "I can tell that you like this better than a silly ole blanket."

Jeanne's body relaxes in his grasp when she feels her cheeks burn from the sudden movement but eases in his arms.

'_I wonder why I feel safe every time that I am within Hao's arms…' _She happily mulls over to herself as she rests her head against his shoulder.

Hao inhales her distinctive scent as relief washes over his body and a sense of comfort lessens the tension in his muscles.

'_I wonder why I feel at ease every time that Jeanne is within my arms…' _he happily ponders to himself as he tightens his hold around her waist.

1111

'_Since everyone has convened in one central location then it should be a little easier for us to spot Lady Jeanne.' _Marco thinks as he pushes his glasses back on to the bridge of his nose.

He glances over to his right to see Chris actively scanning the crowd of people for Lady Jeanne before he returns his sights back in front of him.

A moving bob of green hair off in the distance signals to him that it was Lyserg and Meene at the edge of the crowd.

'_So I guess the others have accumulated here as well…' _he presumes to himself before another thought surfaces from his thoughts. _'…then that means only one thing.'_

'_They're here!' _he deduces as he closes his eyes in order to concentrate on locating Jeanne's signature furiyoku.

"It's too many people!" Chris whines to himself as he squints his eyes in order to zoom in on the faces and the back of the heads of individuals.

As he was about to voice his opinion, he notes that his leader grew mute and did not provide a reprimand to his comment.

'_He is locked in total concentration.' _Chris guesses from the intense focus Marco exudes from his facial expression.

'_I haven't seen Marco this in tune with his environment unless it comes down to Lady Jeanne.' _He weighs to himself as he opts to remain silent.

Chris sights land on a moving green bob before he recognizes it to be none other than Lyserg and Meene.

'_Lyserg…'_

'_He has some of the same qualities that remind me of Marco.'_

'_That kid could possibly be the future leader to the next generation of the X-Laws…of course with Lady Jeanne at the helm.' _

'_However he has been acting on edge lately ever since he was appointed as the leader of this mission.'_

'…_but can you really blame the poor kid though? He's still pretty much a child so is this a test to gauge Lyserg's future potential?' _

'_If that's Marco's plan then why did he accept the young lad under his wing?' _

"I sense her." Marco declares as he launches in to a sprint, which prompts Chris to follow behind the blonde haired male.

1111

"Hey are you thirsty?" Anna poses to her husband, who displays a lazy smile on his face and nods his head in agreement.

"What are you in the mood for?" she questions him while she pauses to search her pockets for some change.

_'She's being awfully nice to me for some reason...'_

"Uh…just get me a Green tea if they have it." Yoh answers as he drops his arms from behind his head and off to his sides.

Anna faces away from Yoh, treads over to the vendor that sells the various drinks, and files in line with the other patrons.

"Yes, two Green tea drinks please," Anna orders from the vendor once she reaches the front of the line.

"Thank you, sir." She thanks the man as she collects the two drinks after she pays for them.

"Yoh, I got you the t…" Anna halts in the middle of her sentence as the drinks slip from within her grasp.

1111

Meene watches Lyserg abruptly breaks out in to a dash as it escalates her calm demeanor to one of a panic mode.

'_Please don't let it be true…' _she silently hopes that upon discovery that it would be a false alarm but deep down she knew that it was indeed Jeanne-sama.

"Where are you going Lyserg?" Meene questions as she tails the young man, who seems to be hot on the trail of Jeanne.

He ignores her question with only one thing set in his sights and that was Jeanne. It was only until he spots a bob of blonde hair on the exact same course as he was.

'_It's just Marco…' _

'…_that means he sense her too.'_

Lyserg return his focus back on to the task at hand as he weaves in and out of the people while they rest on blankets and other things, who awaits for the performance to begin.

As he draws closer, Jeanne-sama's furiyoku seems to radiate from a central location along with the hated aura of Asukara, Hao.

"Lady Jeanne…"


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: Uhm, the last bit of this chapter is funny because for someone reason I'm not sure how Shamash would respond to any of Jeanne's questions so I just pretty much stuck to what I know of the Babylonian god of justice. So please enjoy this new chapter!**

**1111**

"Yoh, I got you the t…" Anna halts in the middle of her sentence as the drinks slip from within her grasp.

She breaks out into a dash once the cans hit the ground when she sees Yoh clutches his chest with one of his hands.

Yoh's face displays apparent pain as he falls to his knees as he grasps his chest while intense pain shoots throughout his body.

"Yoh, what's hurting?" Anna question after she places one of her hands on his shoulder and kneels down in front of him.

"It feels as if I'm on fire." He utters as he shuts one of his eyes as the pain increases to the point that it became unbearable.

'_Why is this happening to him?' _She wonders as she inspects his body for any physical signs of impact but there were none.

'_The last time this happened is when I first met Hao.' _Yoh recalls this familiar pain when he first found out about his twin brother.

He lifts his hands until he feels Anna's shoulder against his palm and tightens his grip in order to capture her attention.

"Anna," Yoh mutters as he raises his head so that he could look at his wife's face that is filled with concern for his health.

Her ears perk up at the sound of her name from her husband, which prompts her to ask, "Yes, what is it? What's wrong? Where are you hurting?"

"Hao…" he mumbles before the pain renders him unconscious as his vision darkens and his body eases.

Anna tries her best to cushion Yoh's head once he falls unconscious so his head would not hit the asphalt and suffer from a concussion.

She studies his facial expression once again and there were no visible signs of discomfort anymore but instead it was one of sleep.

'_His last word was…Hao.' _Anna remembers as she suddenly recalls the incident from when they were pre-teenagers.

'_It was that time during the Shaman Tournament did Yoh have the same exact reaction when he first met Hao.'_

'_How can he feel Hao's intense furiyoku all the way here?' _she wonders to herself as she stares at her sleeping husband's face.

'_Just how strong is this bond between those two?'_

'_Does Hao feel Yoh's pain the same as he does?' _Anna broods while she brushes stray strands of Yoh's hair away from his face.

1111

"Lady Jeanne…" Marco and Lyserg address their silver haired leader once she was in their line of vision.

Meene and Chris draws near and witness the position of their lady in between the legs of the devil himself, Asakura, Hao.

'_There so cute!' _Meene thinks once she sees the sight in front of her as two young people who were smitten with each other.

However, Marco and Lyserg did not feel the same way as Meene and Lyserg looks as if was about to blow a gasket.

"Lady Jeanne, what's the meaning of this?" Marco confronts the couple as Hao and Jeanne peer up to the blonde haired spectacle man.

"What does it matter to you?" Hao snaps at the man, which earns him death glares from three out of the four X-Laws.

Meene glances around to see that everyone's eyes were focus in on toward the group as if they anticipated a brawl to break out.

"Give back Lady Jeanne." Lyserg hisses while he tightly clenches his fists that it starts to shake from his passionate hate towards Hao.

Before she was about to voice her concern that they should take this somewhere else, Lyserg's furiyoki begins to skyrocket.

'_What is this intense pressure from Lyserg coming from?' _Chris and Marco think as they see the green haired male emits white light that causes Morphine to increase in size.

'_He's finally lost it.' _Meene concludes as the X-Laws, Jeanne and Hao watches as a mechanical Archangel descends from the Heavens.

"That's Archangel Zelel!" Marco exclaims as a slender built Archangel with wings at its hips appears behind Lyserg.

Hao shifts Jeanne so that his back faces Lyserg as the arrival of Archangel Zelel causes a shockwave to emit from around its feet upon its impact.

The screams of the innocent bystanders prompt Meene to react as she withdraws her luger and fires a shot in the direction of the people.

An Archangel with heart-shaped shield armor materializes as it shields the people from the force of Lyserg summoning Zelel.

"Marco!" she shrieks over the howling sound of the high frequency noise that reverberates throughout the park.

Yet her shout went unheard as the blonde haired male focus in on Lyserg and Zelel as they stand poise ready for a fight.

"Hao," Jeanne says as she feels Hao's hands around her head that serves as a brace from the impact of their bodies collides against the ground

"Are you alright, Jeanne?" He inquires as he lifts his upper body from on top of hers while he hovers over her.

She turns her sights toward Hao, closes her eyes, produces a grin on her face, and discloses, "Thanks to you I am."

"Are you hurt?" Jeanne asks once he adjusts his weight on to his knees while he props himself up on both of his hands.

Hao ignores the question since he rotates his head towards Lyserg, who resembles a light bulb and utters to himself, "It seems as if I will have to handle this little rabbit before he escapes his cage."

He rises to his feet, turns around to help Jeanne up to her feet, cradles her hand in his grasp, and stares at her ruby red eyes.

"Jeanne, I'm going to fight them with everything that I got…" Hao conveys his intentions for the fight before he whirls around to face Lyserg.

"...that is until you tell me to stop." He adds with his back towards her while he ambles toward his opponent

She casts her sights over to the people who were being protected by Meene's Archangel Gabriel shield. _'At least Meene thinks about other people's safety then themselves…'_

"This is what you wanted for the longest right, little rabbit?" he questions Lyserg once he draws near the green haired young male.

"Asakura, Hao," he simply responses with as his clenched fists shake from extreme anger.

'_I have to watch him closely since he's releasing some powerful furyoku.' _Hao tells himself as he continues to gauge his furyoku.

"I already know that you want Jeanne all to yourself but I can't allow that to happen especially since I plan to put my pride on the line to guarantee her safety." Hao states his opinion and defends his reason why he was fighting.

"Shut up!" He loudly bellows as he glares at the brunette haired male in front while he seethes from ire.

"You act as if you really know Lady Jeanne, you rotten excuse of a human being!" Lyserg adds after he draws a small line of blood since he bites his lip.

'_The little rabbit is seriously demented if he thinks he's about to blame me for his problems.' _Hao inwardly declares as he reads the intent from Lyserg's reishi.

"Harsh words for someone who hides their obsession just so they can stay close to their object of affection." He counters as he slides one of his hands inside of his pants pocket and shifts his weight to his left foot.

"At least, I'm honest about my intention for her. You just hide in the shadows with false hopes that your sick fantasy will come true." Hao asserts while his eyes are closed as a means to focus.

"Be quiet!" Lyserg piercingly shouts an order before he includes, "You don't know anything about my feelings for Lady Jeanne."

"You're wrong about that little rabbit." Hao casually counters when he opens his eyes and locks his eyes in on his opposition.

"I'm not the only person who can utilize the ability of reishi to sense people's emotions and intent." He reminds the diluted male in front of him of a strong shaman's sense of reishi.

Lyserg tenses at the statement, which prompts him to peer over at the silver haired woman that stares at him with an expression of distress.

'_Lady Jeanne already knew about my feelings for her?' _he wonders to himself when he avoids further eye contact with Jeanne

"So how about we finish this mano y mano?" Hao suggests as he materializes the Spirit of Fire from a large flame.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Lyserg agrees as he withdraws his derringer from his hips and aims it at Hao's chest.

Jeanne stands as a witness to a potentially destructive battle that was about to take place between Diethel, Lyserg and Asakura, Hao.

'_This won't end unless one of them is no longer breathing.' _She presumes while she shields her eyes with her left forearm due to the gust of winds that picked up.

"I wonder if they will kill each other." Jeanne overhears a familiar voice asks as she glance over to her right to see her guardian reveal itself.

"What kind of question is that, Shamash?" she directs her question to her small floating guardian, whose body armor was golden.

"It's an honest question that stems from my absolute judgment of the situation." Shamash counters his shaman's query.

"Yet, I thought you viewed the human world as nothing but boring and dumb?" Jeanne poses as she focuses in on the battle.

The guardian snaps his head in Jeanne's direction and verbalizes "…but don't I stand by you and heed your commands whenever you call for my presence."

"I, just as you are, deserve everyone right to pass judgment on what I deem deserves my opinion." Shamash adds as a means to solidify his position in their argument.

"Now is not the time to be arguing about freedom of speech with you…" She reminds him of the weight of their current situation between Hao and Lyserg.

"I agree with you but do you plan on intervening on either one of their behalves?" he agrees with his guardian's mindset before he wonders about her choice on whether or not she will engage in the fight.

"Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to, Shamash?" Jeanne poses while she maintains the shield in front of her face when she includes "…or is it that you find amusement from toying with your guardian, who risked her life to break your seal and free you from your confinement."

"For the first part yes, humans tend to lack a sense of humor yet they know when to acknowledge those who are in a position of power." Shamash expresses his opinion while his long tail sways left and right.

"What is your point, Shamash?" She needles since the Babylonian god of justice begins to ramble.

"I won't answer your question until you answer mines first." He claims as he faces his guardian with an acute expression on his face.

"I don't plan to let it get out of control if that is enough to satisfy your sense of justice?" Jeanne discloses her plans to her guardian while he conjures up a book.

"Justice is a virtue that is first thought in society as a truth to a system of thoughts. It can be perceived as benevolence, charity, mercy, generosity or compassion. My sense of justice stems from a divine or holy command and that morality is under the authoritative command. This manner would guide you humans to follow a set of standard rules that serves as an embodiment of the highest principles and morals." Shamash verbally recites from his book.

"So how can you declare yourself as the judge, juror, and executioner when you are susceptible to pass impartial judgment?" She curiously probes after she processes Shamash's definition of justice.

The god remained silence since no immediate answer pops to his mind, which prompts Jeanne to claim, "If you have no answers, then do not declare yourself as a sole entity of justice for your sense of justice may not align with my beliefs in justice."

"A very intelligent counter…" He compliments her after he closes his book as a sign of surrender to his Shaman's beliefs.

"It also seems as if you have matured a little." Shamash adds as he critically inspects his guardian.

"That's because I have been given the permission to shoulder someone, who I hold near and dear to my heart, burden." She confesses with a genuine smile apparent on her face.

'_Maybe this little outing was what she needed.' _He concludes as he continues to observe the scene before his eyes.


	20. Chapter 20

'_I can't even get a read off of their furyoku…' _Marco inwardly thinks as he drops his forearm from in front of his face and takes in the sight of a face off between Lyserg Diethel and Hao Asakura.

His eyes hone in on the young man with green haired, who currently displays his latent potential toward a strong opponent such as Hao Asakura.

'_I can't say that I am surprised at his talent but…he may even have the potential to surpass me.'_ He concludes as he witnesses the sight in front of him.

'_Even still…for him to summon such a powerful Archangel at his age for a battle against the Devil himself…I guess it's for the best.' _

'_Just as long as you defat Hao then I don't care about the outcome.' _Marco inwardly states when he directs his gaze toward Hao and the Spirit of Fire that towers behind him.

1111

Hao stares down at the green haired male, who he dub as little rabbit and was slightly off guard at the rapid progression of his power.

'…_looks like my prediction was right after all.' _He mentally asserts to himself while he continues to gauge his opponent's reishi.

"Should I make the first move little rabbit or you still haven't found your voice yet?" Hao taunts the enemy as he continues to gather more furyoku in order for a one hit kill.

Lyserg remains mute while Hao peeks over at his right and spots Jeanne along with her guardian Shamash at her side.

'_She's in good hands.' _He mentally claims after his eyes land on the white baby dinosaur creature clad in golden armor.

Hao cracks a small smile from anticipation of the duel that was to occur before him and Lyserg when an idea strikes him.

Meanwhile,

Jeanne acute hearing picks up on someone shouting her name "Lady Jeanne!" at the top of their lungs.

She rotates her head in the direction of the source and spots a tall woman clad in a modified X-Laws uniform with a small shoulder guard and high boots.

'_She's not in her regular clothing.' _Jeanne notes that Meene was not in her regular outfit, which consists of a red dress with high heels.

She cast her gaze in Hao's direction and senses something hidden within the waves of Lyserg's furyoku.

Jeanne feels Meene's arms wrap around her chest that almost feels as if she was being restricted by her arms.

A dry lump begins to develop in her throat once realization dawns on her about the end result of the fight.

'_I have to stop them before they start!' _she wants to scream at Meene, who tightens her hold around her petite frame.

Jeanne opens her mouth, shrieks "Hao", sheds tears and collapses to her knees as she watches Hao flies backward until he lands on the ground.

Marco and Chris swiftly cast an inescapable barrier around the unconscious Asakura while Lyserg faints from the usage of his new power.

Meene watches as her teammates accomplish their assigned mission as she cradles a woeful Jeanne within her arms.

1111

'_My eyes feel really heavy…' _Yoh thinksas he attempts to open his eyelids only to open them to a bright light.

A "hiss" noise emits from his mouth as he lifts his arms to shield his eyes from the extreme ray of light that beams him in the face.

He felt his head being supported by something soft and assumed that it was none other than his wife, Anna.

"You waited here the entire time?" Yoh questions once his eyes land on the familiar face of his wife that hovers about his.

Anna scoffs at him, faces away from, displays an irate expression, and replies "…and who else will look after you?"

Yoh cracks a smile at his wife's response to his question before he scopes out their surroundings and discovers that they were now on a bench in the same park.

"How are you feeling?" Anna probes since she was concern about her husband's health since it was rare for him to faint out of the blue.

He rests his palm on his forehead and admits, "I can't remember too much except for a pain and then I was out like a light."

"…but other than that I feel perfectly fine."

'_He doesn't look as if he's bleeding or anything but still for him to double over in pain when there is nothing wrong with him.' _

It was at that moment that Anna develops a bad feeling in her gut about the other half of her husband that was reincarnated through the years.

'_Yet, I'm glad that he is doing a little better than before.' _

1111

'_This can't be happening…'_

Jeanne opens her watery eyes to see Marco, Chris and the rest of the X-Laws surround their leader with an expression of content.

"It is good to see that you're still in good shape, Lady Jeanne." Marco says to the silver haired woman as he ignores her tear stain face.

Jeanne swiftly snaps her head in Marco's direction and harshly hisses her question out loud to him, "What did you do to _him_?"

Marco's face falters at the question that Jeanne just asks him, pauses for a minute, and orders, "Rise to your feet."

"Marco…" Meene speaks up after she hears the tone of speech Marco uses toward a sad Jeanne.

"We don't have time for this! Dry your eyes and stand to your feet." He barks more orders unaware of the fact that Jeanne was no longer present in the conversation.

"Jeanne…" Marco harshly states but Meene cuts him off when she feels the weight of Jeanne against her chest.

"Lady Jeanne," Meene repeats her name until she responds to her name but there was no movement whatsoever.

Meene cradles Jeanne's head in her bosom when Lyserg draws near the group after his Archangel dispels itself from their sights.

Lyserg hovers over their silver haired leader as a mean to signal to Meene that he would carry her since she was unconscious and too heavy for her to carry on her own.

She stares at the moss haired young man in front of her and senses dark energy radiate from him.

"I can carry her." He sternly voices as he squats down to their level and draws the silver haired woman within the length of his arms.

Marco shoots her a look that ceases any more protests from the blonde and remains in her thoughts about the sight before her.

'_This is not the X-Laws that I know and love…' _she weighs to herself as she surveys the damage that Lyserg left after he summon his Archangel.

Meene focuses in on the green haired boy, who totes their leader within his arms as he leads the group out of the park.

She glances at each of her comrade in arms back and formulates the ideal that they no longer were the men, who she combats evil with.

'_There's something different about all of them.' _Meene inwardly assumes as she moves along with them while deep in her thoughts.

1111

Anna feels her husband lift his head up from her legs and watches as he leans forward until his head rests in the palms of his hands.

"Try not to push yourself too fast, Yoh." Anna warns him after she notices the position that Yoh was in at the moment.

Yoh raise his head up from his hands and peers over at the concern expression on her face when she speaks, which amuses him.

"I guess it takes for me to suddenly collapse to get some attention from you." He revels at his wife with a smile on his face.

Anna tightly clenches her fist from anger when her consciousness reminds her that Yoh was just unconscious for a couple of hours.

She releases a deep sigh, tucks her arms underneath her chest, and peers up at the clear blue sky above them.

"Don't get cheeky with me! You better be lucky that you just regain consciousness!" Anna counters with her eyes still set on the sky.

Yoh cracks his famous smile at his wife before he copies her similar position and casts his eyes toward the sky.

"Do you think that Hao will be alright?" Yoh curiously poses to his wife since he could sense his presence begin to weaken.

Anna huffs at the question and asserts, "The only thing I know about the bastard is that he won't die."

Yoh drops his head back to eye level, observes the people enjoy themselves at the park, and hangs his head low once again until his bangs cover his eyes.

"You got that right." He states with little to no confidence in his tone when he mutters it to himself.

1111

"Ding" "Dong" "Ding" The sound of church bells ring loudly in Jeanne's ears as the sound signals her body that it was time to wake up.

'_I don't remember seeing any bells when I was at the park…' _Jeanne reflects when she hears the loud ring of the bell once again.

She opens her eyes to a familiar room because it was her personal bedroom…the one back in Paris.

'_What's going on?' _Jeanne inquires to herself as she breaks her stare away from the ceiling and off to her left only to see Meene fast asleep at her vanity table.

'_This can't be home…' _she contemplates right before she peers to her right and spots three golden bells within her sights.

Jeanne quietly slips out of her bed, softly pads over to the window, and mentally registers the scenic Paris skyline outside of her window.

'_I can't believe this!' _she inwardly shouts as she peers over her shoulder to check to see if Meene was still fast asleep.

The thought of the brunette haired male's safety runs rampart through her mind when she recalls the last thing she witness of him before it went completely black.

'_What did they do to Hao?' _ Jeanne wonders to herself as she watches the citizens of Paris welcome the morning sun with a sense of eagerness.

Jeanne starts to search for a jacket, grabs the first one she finds, strides over to the door, and exits out of her bedroom.

'_I promise that once I find you...I will free you from this prison!' _She inwardly decrees to herself as she clings close to the wall as she ambles toward the end of the hallway.


	21. Chapter 21

Hao emits a guttural groan as he rolls over on what feels as a cold slab of rock along with the sound of chains start to rattle around him.

He attempts to separate his hands only to feel restrictions around his wrist, which prompts him to think _'I figured that they would throw me in the dungeon whenever they could.' _

A weak smirk stretches across his face at the thought as he leans his back against the rough edges of what he assumes was a wall.

'_At least they took the bait.' _He thinks as he rests the back of his head against the wall with his eyes close.

An image of the silver haired red eyed woman graces his thoughts during his loneliness hour albeit that the great Hao Asakura feels alone sometimes.

He released a quiet sigh since she was the only human being on the earth that made him feel humanized instead of the ostracized demon.

'_Jill in the Box,' _Hao quaintly recall the nickname he had dubbed her when he had first come in to contact with the now famous Iron Maiden Jeanne and her lapdogs, the X-Laws.

She almost appears fragile maybe even delicate as she quietly rests in a large iron cast black Iron Maiden on a wooden platform with wheels.

The instant he saw blood trickle from the eyes of the iron contraption, he was instantly interested in what lies within.

The blonde haired twit of a leader recites some type of speech that was probably rehearsed a thousand times similar to a superhero's catchphrase that is said before every big battle.

His curiosity spikes when the latches flip open, one of the member pushes the cover open, and reveals among a bed of sharp needles a beautiful angelic young lady.

Rose vines entwines itself around the entire length of her body as she appears to be in a peaceful slumber.

"Lady Jeanne…" the blonde haired male addresses her with the title of Lady as it arouse her from her sleep as she stir.

"A tainted heart and soul such as yours should repent for your sins." She softly voices while she slowly lifts the lids of her eyes upward.

Hao narrows in on a pair of bloody red eyes that rivals the red of the roses that contrast against her pale skin.

An unknown quiet gasp emits from his mouth as he finds himself lock in a trance at the Iron Maiden before him.

"Who are you to pass judgment on another individual?" he revels with a cocky grin present on his face when he speaks.

Jeanne remains inside of the black cast iron maiden yet her eyes refuse to deter away from his ominous brown eyes.

"Who are you to execute human lives for your own selfish purposes?" she counters as Hao's Sprit of Fire materializes behind him.

He studies her facial expression yet there were no visible signs of fear as it causes him to think, _'What's with this woman?'_

She summons her own shaman deity when a white dinosaur creature with large golden circular plates around its crown appears before his eyes with foreign writing on the surface of the book as a response.

The sound of another human being's voice breaks him out of his fond memory of his initial encounter with Jeanne.

"Jeanne?" he questions out of a sense of hope when a light illuminates the darkness around him.

1111

"What are we going to do with the demon in the basement?" Chris inquires as the X-Laws were in a morning meeting before mass assembles for the day.

The mention of the word "demon" immediately conjures up the image of the brunette haired male name Hao Asakura within their thoughts.

"Kill him." A stern masculine voice cuts through the silence as the members direct their sights to the source.

The green haired male sits before them near Marco's side as it prompts Meene to narrow her sights in on the young man.

"In order for him to atone for his sins, death is more than a suitable enough punishment for him." Lyserg explains his reason behind the chose of death to the group.

A brief silence washes over the X-Laws as a signal to Lyserg that they currently weigh the options of their choice.

"Let's just hypothetically say if we were to sentence Hao Asakura to death, what would that accomplish?" Meene poses in opposition to Lyserg's plan to kill Hao. "He'll probably just go through reincarnation and become even stronger than he is now."

"Why risk birthing an even stronger or merciless demon when we already had enough problems in catching them in the first place?" She defends her opinion as she plants seeds of doubt among her comrades.

Lyserg face contorts to anger when he realizes that once again Meene interjects her opinion in about his choice.

"Explain the numerous innocent lives he has forfeited with his own two hands." He presents to the group as he attempts to curb the anger out of his tone.

Meene senses that if she was to lose out on this argument then the end result would only cause Lady Jeanne nothing but misery.

"How can you just sit here and compare sin for sin? Everyone deserves a right to atone for the sins that they have committed."

"Are you saying that Asakura Hao is..._human_?" Lyserg inquires with an emphasis on the word human since he views Hao as nothing but the scum of the Earth after he hops on to his feet.

"Everyone at this table isn't as wholesome as we present ourselves to be yet we're taught to never put ourselves above others." Meene jaws as she tries to send a hint to her fellow comrades.

Marco starts to grow weary of the constant banter between the two while the others spectates the verbal spat and orders them to, "This meeting is dismissed."

"What about the fate of Hao?" Lyserg reminds the official leader of the X-Laws about the purpose of the meeting.

He tucks his arms underneath his chest as he peers through his glasses until his eyes land on the pair before him.

"This is no longer the appropriate time for this discussion." Marco asserted since he predicted that this back and forth became a repeated occurrence between the duo.

"But Marco…" Meene says but was cut off by Marco, "No ifs, ands, or buts about this! We're going to delay our decision until unity returns back to the group."

"You've got to be kidding me." Lyserg scoffs at the reason why Marco dismisses them because of a lack of teamwork.

"Unity?" The green haired male questions as he scans the faces of his companions, even the bothersome Meene, when he repeats the noun again.

"Humph," Lyserg eventually utters as he plops back down in the empty seat next to Marco as a means to keep him helm in.

'_Good…' _Meene inwardly thinks as she mentally celebrates a cheer of victory for Jeanne and Hao Asakura.

'_At least, I bought some more time for her.' _She weighs to herself as she maintains her current expression on her face so she would not give away her intentions.

Meene raise to her feet after Marco proceeds to exit from the meeting as well as other members of the X-Laws.

1111

Jeanne feels out the basement with her hands after she descend down a flight of wooden stairs along with a lantern in her other hand.

'_Of course, they would bring him down here…' _she assumes as she ventures downward until the uneven floor levels out.

She halts when she nears rusty dungeon bars that contains the criminals that they capture in until their trail takes place.

Rats swiftly scurry across the slightly damp floor but her focus locks in on just one person and that is Hao Asakura.

There were a dozen of cells that were empty as she lifted the lantern up to the bars to see if they were occupied or not.

'_This is getting me nowhere…' _she notes after she discovers yet another empty cell while she advances further down the corridor.

"Marco wouldn't approve of you sneaking around in the basement without his permission." Shamash forewarns her in a dull tone.

Jeanne casts her eyes over to where her shaman deity materializes only to bug her about her irrational behavior.

"This breaks the law that was set in order by Marco to ensure your safety." Shamash continues to warn her about her decision.

She rolls her eyes at the baby white dinosaur's spiel about justice, laws, rights, facts, and truth.

"When I need you to throw the book at someone you hardly appear yet when it comes down to me you're quick to pull the book out on me."

Her statement seems to have zip the lips of the Babylonian god as it was taken aback by his shaman's curt retort.

A pregnant quietness develops between the shaman and their spirit as they advance forward with the use of the lantern to guide them through the darkness.

"You're starting to act like _him_." Shamash mentions after it closes the book and tucks it underneath its arm.

"If you mean finally voicing my opinion about how I feel instead of remaining quiet while others dictate what I do with my life?" She rhetorically poses before she follows up with, "Then yes. I'm starting to act like him!"

A familiar voice utters her name as it prompts her to guide the lantern in the direction of where the source emits from.

1111

"Hey Anna," Yoh voices as he stretches out against the length of the park bench while he release a deep sigh of relaxation.

Anna faces her husband with an inquisitive expression on her face after she hears the tone he uses toward her.

"We might need to end this vacation." He states as he directs his eyes to the sky as he speaks.

"Why?" She inquires since it was rare for Yoh to stop in the middle of such an important mission as the one there on only to turn back around to head back home.

'_He's been acting strange ever since he was unconscious.' _Anna notes the subtle change in her husband typical aloof manner.

"What did you see?" She curiously verbalizes as Yoh drops his head to meet her gaze.

1111

"Meene," Marco calls to the brunette haired woman after she emerges from within the walls of the church after mass concludes.

She turns to the source of her name when her sights land on none other than her blonde haired leader.

He signals for her to draw near him while he rotates to the exit of the chapel and out on to the courtyard.

Meene followed with little to no hesitation since she was already used to Marco's peculiar ways that he exhibited as their leader.

However this time, an expression of concern graces his face since he furrows his brows as if he was in deep thought about something.

"What's wrong?" She immediately questions once she manages to catch up to him due to this long stride compare to her small ones.

Marco remains suspiciously mute as the pair exits the church grounds and merges within the traffic of everyday citizens on a lovely afternoon.

Meene swiftly glances over at Marco once again when she senses a pair of eyes follow them as they wait to cross the street.

'_Does he know that someone's watching us?' _she mentally thinks over to herself as she decides to maintain her façade until Marco signals for her to drop it.


	22. Chapter 22

Lyserg slowly separate himself from in front of the color stained window after he observe from a distance their leader of the X-Laws take off with that bothersome woman, Meene.

'_I wonder where those two are going?' _he inwardly wonder to himself as the two blonde haired people disappears within the large crowd of parishioners, who exit from the church grounds.

'_They're probably going to talk about us and our little change.' _His inner voice assume as Lyserg leg through the chapel portion of the church.

'_Who cares what those two talk about let alone think about me.' _Lyserg promptly counter while he venture down the aisle and rows of century old wooden pews.

'_Let them assume whatever it is that they want. As long as they stay in the dark about the real plan.' _His inner voice instruct its owner as they cross the threshold of the sanctuary.

'_I think it may be time to go and visit the prisoner.' _Lyserg suggest as his consciousness agree with the idea right before he veer around a corner to the corridor that lead to the underground dungeon.

As he was about to walk past a flight of stairs that lead upstairs, he pause at the foot of the steps and ponder, _'I should go and check up on Lady Jeanne.'_

Lyserg quietly weigh each outcome from his two options before he ultimately decide to check up on the demon that was currently underneath him in order to unleash his wraith on him.

'_Just for this moment, Lady Jeanne can wait.' _His inner voice reason with him as he return his focus on to his initial destination.

1111

Jeanne overhear a familiar voice utter her name as it prompt her to guide the lantern in the direction of the source of her name.

She luckily happen upon the dingy cell that contain a very weaken Hao, whose back rest against the rough interior of the cave.

"Hao" "Hao…are you alright?" Jeanne inquiry as she wrap her free hand around the bars of the cage while she raise the lantern until Hao's body was visible.

She notice that the metallic chains that bind his wrist were behind his back, which make his current position rather quite uncomfortable.

Hao idly lull his head toward the bright light that illuminate his cell when his eyes narrows in attempt to identify the person that stand in front of the cage.

"Jeanne…" he manage to utter since his throat practically scream for water in order to quench the dryness currently present in his throat.

"Shamash," she suddenly summon her Shaman guardian deity forward since it happen to be engross in its book that usually discuss the topics of justice, rights, and lawfulness.

"I know that Marco entrust you with a set of spare keys to the dungeon. Where are they?" Jeanne abruptly ask of the white dinosaur to produce the set of keys to enter inside of the cell.

Shamash fold its arms across its chest while the book close on its freewill and assert, "The objective of cells is to hold those charged with crimes against the public, not to set them free."

'_Why did I have to get such a complicated guardian?' _She mentally dread when she feel as if she was on the verge of a headache from Shamash stubbornness to provide help.

"Look I am not going to set him free." Jeanne voice as it did not seem to budge the white dinosaur creature not even one bit.

"Then why do you want to get in that cell so badly?" Shamash probe its silver haired Shaman about the purpose of her to enter the jail with a condemn criminal.

"I just want to make sure that he is still alive." She attempt to reason with Shamash, who seem to slightly accept that as a justifiable reason.

"Every human being no matter Shaman or not should be afforded certain inalienable rights. Even you can agree to that can't you?" Jeanne curtly retort as that seem to do the trick and Shamash open the book once again.

Shamash materialize the set of spare keys from within the pages of his book when he warn her, "Don't think that that excuse will award you what you want every time."

"How can you ask for something that you desperately want and then simply turn around to dismiss it?" She ask since her deity's actions did not match up with its words.

"That sounds a little like blasphemy to me." Jeanne slyly accuse Shamash while she search for the respective key that will allow access to Hao's cell.

She peer up once she locate the key only to see that Shamash warp back inside of its book because it lost out on a conversation about righteousness.

'_It'll get over it.' _Jeanne reason as she stick the key inside of the lock, twist it to the right, pop the lock, open the cage, step inside, close it back and lock it behind her.

"Hao…" She gently whisper his name while she swiftly draw near the tiresome Hao as she quickly settle in right next to him.

Jeanne suddenly felt Hao collapsed on top of her lap as the chains loudly clang from the abrupt movement from the captured.

"Jeanne…" he hoarsely say her name while he comfortingly gain rest in the silver haired woman's presence.

"Oh Hao…what did they do to you?" she wonder aloud when her hands find their way to support his head as he fall of to sleep.

1111

Anna search her husband's face for a couple of seconds for any signs of a joke or prank yet there was no display of either of the two.

"What do you mean we might need to end this vacation?" She curiously question once again as she intensely stare Yoh in the face.

"Does it have to do with Hao?" Anna inquiry since he fail to answer her previous question about his reason to cease their vacation when she spot a twitch from him.

"It's about Hao, is it Yoh!" She hastily assume as Yoh remain ever so mute from the interrogation while his wife proceed with her angry tirade.

Anna's fists tightly clenches as realization start to dawn on her that once again Yoh's twin, Hao was the root of his problem.

"I swear I will kill him…" She harshly grumble to herself as she stare down at her fists when Yoh finally decide to break his silence.

"I don't think it is his fault." Yoh bluntly voice his opinion, which cause his wife to swiftly snap her head in his direction once again.

Anna toss up her hands out frustration and proclaim, "Whatever Hao lay his hands on, it break."

Yoh simply shake his head left and right since he thoroughly disagree with his Anna on this occasion. "I think he may be in some serious danger this time."

"Since when has the King of the Shamans ever been in danger that he can't get out of?" She express her disbelief at her husband's plight for his evil twin.

He peered up at the sky to see that the sun just slipped behind the horizon when he admitted, "Since he developed a weakness for the opposite sex."

Yoh's comment instantly register in her mind, which cause her to immediately reflect back on their wedding day.

"You don't think that they are that crazy to wage war against an omnipotent demon such as Hao, do you?" She pose the million dollar question after he release a sigh of frustration.

He shrug his shoulders up and down before he blankly admit to his companion a fear he develop after what he witness from earlier when he was unconscious. "I don't know. I just don't know."

Anna silently gasp at the accusation her husband present about the peaceful X-Laws potentially at war with the ever powerful Hao Asakura.

1111

Meene continue to follow Marco lead as they leg through the crowd until the sight of a familiar café grace her sights.

"Have a seat." Marco suddenly order his feminine blonde haired companion while he survey the layout of the area for potential eavesdroppers.

She then locate an empty table on the outside patio that provide a sense of seclusion since it sit off on the side instead of in front of the café.

A female barista politely greet them in a rich French accent before she ask if they were ready to order their drinks now or wait a couple of minutes to decide what they want.

"We haven't decided yet." Marco inform the barista, who depart from the couple after she lay the one side menu out on the table.

Meene lift the menu to eye level, study the menu and question her guest, "Was this really necessary? We could have talked back at the chapel."

"Too many flies and ears on the wall." He voice the reason why they were at the cafe instead of the chapel at the moment.

"So what is that we need to talk about? I don't feel comfortable when I am not close to Lady Jeanne's side." She seriously comment when her eyes land on her choice of drink.

Marco lay the menu down in front of him and reveal, "That is the purpose of this impromptu meeting, Meene."

"I want to hear your opinion about some things." He solemnly admit right before he wave down the barista when she was about past by their table after she serve another couple.

Meene sharply raise an eyebrow at Marco's reason as to why they were at the café while the others remain at the chapel.

"Jeanne and that demon…" He inquisitively start off when he halt in the middle of his question once the barista stand in front of them with a cordial smile on her face.

"I'll have an Expresso and she will take a Latte." Marco place their order for the both of them while the barista gather the menus from in front of the two.

"I think that they're both on the far end of the spectrum but then again opposites tend to to attract to one another." She honestly verbalize her opinion about them as a couple.

"Lyserg…" he deliberately throw the next subject out, which cause Meene to pause as too many thoughts instantly run through her head about the green haired male.

"Well…"

11111

Jeanne carefully watch Hao as his eyes starts to slowly flicker open, which cause her to instantly perk up at the sudden movement from the sleep brunette haired male.

His brown eyes lazily meet a pair of blood red eyes that belong to none other than the silver haired maiden name Jeanne.

Hao unknowingly cough when he attempt to speak to her before he completely clear his throat and shakily assert, "You shouldn't be here."

"Why shouldn't I be here?" Jeanne frantically inquire out of concern after she notice the intense painful expression written all over his face.

The sound of footsteps against the sedimentary floor of the dungeon interrupts their conversation as both Jeanne and Hao peers up to see a light on the far side of the cell.

"You need to leave." He urgently advise her while he slowly lift his head from across her lap and rest it against the cave.

"I'm not leaving you again." She promptly hiss at him in a whisper tone, which cause him to groan at her defiance.

"Then they can't find you here with me." Hao sharply retort when Jeanne immediately summon her Shaman deity and softly whisper some instructions to it.

A bright light blinds the pair when a familiar masculine eventually voice ring in their ears, "Well…well…well…we finally caught the crooked demon himself."

The male remove the lantern from in front of him and rest it against his side to reveal that it was none other than the moss haired male, Lyserg Diethel.

'_Good…he can't see her/me.' _The couple inside of the cell share similar thoughts when Lyserg voice can be heard once again.

"I wouldn't say caught…" Hao dryly joke as he attempt to chuckle at the oblivious impudence of the young man in front of him.

"…more like I let you dogs capture me just so I can be closer to Jeanne." Hao victoriously mention since he know that Jeanne is a rather very sensitive topic for him.

Jeanne merely spectate the pair's conversation when she closely watch as Lyserg drop his head so his bangs cover his eyes.

'_What is this…' _


	23. Chapter 23

"Well…I personally think that he has become an unstable element in our unit. I feel as if he has some ulterior motive whenever he's with us." Meene honestly render her opinion about Lyserg Diethel.

Marco slightly lean back against the metallic wire chair as he process what Meene say about Lyserg.

"I thought I was the only one who had developed that suspicion about our newcomer as well." He verbalize in agreement with his blonde haired companion.

Meene gently ease her tense shoulders after she listen to Marco's disclose his concerns about the green haired young man.

"You want to know what else I feel?" She verbally speak and halt when she spot their barista deliver their respective drinks.

An "enjoy" emerge from the barista's mouth while she clutch the circular silver tray close to her chest as she depart.

"He purposely wanted us to capture Hao." She confess before she marvel at the accurate milk image of the Eiffel Tower.

Marco loop his index and middle fingers through the handle of his coffee mug, bring it to his lips, and delight in the taste of the roast.

"As much as I detest that demon, I can't shake this sense that he allowed us to capture him too." He disclose after he return the cup on to the surface of the table.

Meene recall the incident at the park and remember the sensation that she receive when she witness that brand new archangel descend from the sky.

"I digress that even I was caught up in my pride once we managed to secure him." Marco say before he adds, "Even still...the sight of that new archangel does not sit right with me."

"Finally..." She happily declare while she throw her hands up in the air to make a point, "...someone has similar opinions about him without being misled by his false chivalrous behavior."

"And here I just taught I was simply loon with these kinds of thoughts." Meene frankly state as she rest one of her arms on the arm rest and relax in the chair.

Marco shake his head left and right in a "no" fashion when he express, "That was the reason why I brought you here."

She quirk an eyebrow at her blonde's counterpart once he reveal the purpose behind their swift and abrupt departure from morning mass.

"So what is _your_ opinion about the tension between Lyserg and I?"

"I was rather surprised that _you_ had tension with anyone let alone from a child." Marco admit as he sip on his brew before he include, "Plus, there were signs that I saw when I gave him permission to run the operation to locate and find Lady Jeanne."

"Hey, did you just feel that?" a random stranger abruptly inquire to the other person that occupies the opposite seat.

"What was that?" Meene curiously wonder after she cast her sights off to her right.

1111

"Hey have you seen Marco and Meene anywhere?" John promptly inquire after he draw near where the other X-Laws assemble.

The other members were currently outside underneath the patio where lunch was being serve for some of the members in the clergy.

They swiftly exchange glances among each other as nods or shrugs were shown as a response to the question.

Chris pick his fork within his grasp when he recall that he seen them earlier that morning. "Nope, I haven't seen them since morning mass.

"Now that you mention it," Cebin verbalize in a muffle tone before he adds, "I think I saw them leave right after morning mass."

John silently ponder over why would Marco and Meene just up and leave without so much as a word to the others about, "I wonder where those two went?"

"While we're on the topic of people missing…anybody seen Lyserg?" Larch pose another good question to his fellow comrades at the table.

The crystal clear wine glasses suddenly begin to rattle together, delicate China plates began to jump, and the decorative table leap forward from its original position.

"Did you feel that?" Prof quickly speak up after he feel the tremors from the ground, which immediately place him on high alert.

Chris peer up toward the roof of the church, spot a foreign object in the sky, and question, "Just what is…_that_?"

1111

Anna watch as Yoh clutch his chest from the intense aches that develop within his body. It always tend to happen whenever his twin was in serious danger.

"I need to take you to a doctor." Anna claim as she hop to her feet and approach her husband.

Yoh extend his arm out to stop her, however it fail miserably as his arm fall down to his side due to the pain.

"No," he sternly deny the first idea while he gasp for breath when the convulsions briefly start to subside.

"Well then what do you want me to do?! I can't just sit here and see you in intense pain!" Anna scream at him as he slouch his back against the park bench.

"Let's just agree to talk in a more calm man…" the agony abruptly increase, which prompt him to halt in the middle of his speech.

"So what…" Anna pause when she realize that she was loud before she tone down the volume in her tone, "…do you expect me to do?"

Yoh's face contort in extreme discomfort since this time it feel as if his body was completely on fire.

Due to the recent and repeated distress place on his body cause him to wonder if Hao ever feel this type of discomfort vice verse.

"I need you to take me to where Hao is..." He firmly state what need to be done instead of a visit to the hospital.

"…only then will these pain stops." Yoh finally conclude as he attempt not to think about the pain.

Anna nod her head in agreement as her hand clutch on to the double strand of pearls that grace her neck.

1111

Jeanne's body shiver from the cold sensation that seem to materialize in the air ever since Lyserg arrive in front of the cell.

'_What is this sensation?' _she curiously wonder to herself when she continue to silently speculate from a slight distance.

"You should never utter the fair lady's name in my presence!" Lyserg sharply snapped at the weakened Hao, who attempted to maintain his tough demeanor.

A "humph" barely escape from Hao's lips when he boastfully retort with, "You silly rabbit. She will never love someone of your nature."

He tightly wrap both of his hands on the bars of the cell and roughly counter with, "How dare _you_ even have the nerve to talk about one's nature when you have spilled the most blood on your hands?"

Jeanne was slightly caught off guard from Lyserg's screams about Hao being a murderer, which she already was aware about.

'_How much hate do you hold toward Hao?' _she mentally ponder as she proceed s to critically watch the interaction between the two.

Hao dryly chuckle at his naivety when he explain, "A farmer doesn't question himself when he has to slaughter his livestock, now does he?"

'_What is this demon trying to get at?' _he inwardly contemplate after he register what Hao use as an attempt to justify his action.

"He even has wasted his precious time to birth, feed, and care for them only to turn around to slay them so his family can survive."

Lyserg bite hard on his lip until he draw blood at the nerve of Hao when he rebuttal with "Are you trying to justify the fact that you, single-handedly massacred dozens _no_ even millions of innocent lives because you feel the need to survive?"

"Now, who sounds like the hypocrite?" Hao calmly reply with a shrug of his shoulders up and down when he hastily add, "You want to kill me as a means to complete your revenge, right?"

A pregnant silence surface once Hao purposely antagonize Lyserg for the sole intention that once he eventually snap that he would set him free.

'_I almost got you where I need you.'_ He mentally presume as he abruptly rattle his capture wrists together._ 'Just one more little push and I can finally escape.' _

"Obviously the answer is yes so what makes you any different from me?" He boastfully mention to the green haired male when he finally conclude with, "Let me answer that for you…absolutely nothing."

"Shut up!" he fiercely shriek as his body emit a green silhouette around his body while he physically crush the bars between his hands.

1111

Anna watch as Yoh clutches his chest from the intense pain that develop within his body that happens whenever his twin was in serious danger.

"I need to take you to a doctor." Anna claim as she hop to her feet and approach her husband.

Yoh extend his arm out to stop her however it fail miserably as his arm fall down to his side from the pain.

"No," he sternly denies the first idea while he gasp for breath when the pain briefly start to subside.

"Well then what do you want me to do? I can't just sit here and see you in intense pain!" Anna screams at him as he slouches back against the park bench.

"Let's just agree to talk in a more calm man…" the pain increase which prompt him to halt in the middle of his speech.

"So what…" Anna pause when she realize that she was loud before she tone down the volume in her tone, "…do you expect me to do?"

Yoh's face contort in pain since this time it feel as if his body was completely on fire, which cause him to wonder if Hao feel this type of discomfort.

"I need you to take me to where Hao is." He finally states what need to be done instead of a visit to the hospital.

"…only then will these pain stops." Yoh conclude as he attempt to not think about the pain.

Anna nods her head in agreement as her hand clutch on to the double strand of pearls that grace her neck.

1111

All of a sudden tremors can be suddenly felt from underneath their feet as the ground start to shift from the pressure underneath them.

Deep riffs develop due to the collision of the tectonic plate as it produce chasms to form while screams from the citizens capture the X-Laws attention.

"Get under a table!" John loudly shouts out instructions to those around them as panic ensues from the unknown.

The puffy white clouds part away from the intense light as an unfamiliar archangel descends from the skies.

It collides against the cathedral tower that house the three enormous golden bells as it destroy one of the bell towers during the archangel descend.

One of the golden bells swing off to the right, and roll on its side down the roof of the cathedral due to be loosen.

"Its not safe! Get out from under the table!" One of the X-Laws shout a warning as the clergy manage to escape before the bell crash down on the food table.

"What is that?!" a frantic spectator shriek at the sight of a bright white circular column of light that emerge from within the cathedral.

The familiar sight slowly lower itself inside the hole in the middle roof of the cathedral that was just made by the light.

"That's…that's that new archangel!" Both John and Meene exclaim from their respective location after the mechanical angel descend from the sky.

Cebin recall the owner of the archangel, study its trajectory pattern, and register that it land where the dungeon that contain Paris notorious criminals.

'_I wonder if Lady Jeanne and Diethel are alright?' _he ponder to himself not aware of the commotion that was about to happen underneath them,

"Asakura, Hao…_today is your judgment day_!"


	24. Chapter 24

The behemoth metallic archangel completely towers over the utterly concern citizens of Paris as some of them were in total awe while majority were in a complete state of shock.

"What does that boy think he's doing?" Marco irritably questions after he quickly leaps to his feet at the sight of the brand new archangel within the cathedral.

Meene swiftly pushes herself away from the table and speedily dashes in the direction of the cathedral.

"I have to go and stop him!" She angrily shouts before Marco could even possibly considers to trail behind her. After all, it was _his_ team and therefore _his_ sole responsibility to _control _his subordinates' actions.

'_What is going on?' _He gravely wonders as he closely follows behind the blonde haired woman that quickly sprints in front of him.

'_I hope I can get to her in time.' _Meene contemplates before she veers around a corner that would lead her to the church.

1111

"Is everyone alright?" John loudly questions so that the others around him could hear his inquiry.

Grumbles, grunts and groans emit from those around him as a verbal sign that everyone was fine at least for the time being.

"Why is that thing here?" Chris curiously wonders as his eyes land on the enormous mechanic Archangel that stands within the center of the cathedral.

Prof tosses the table off to the side since some of the people were trap underneath as it frees them to move their limbs about.

"Is anyone hurt?" Prof inquires again once he was able to make a head count of the individuals in the group that were either safe or hurt.

They each exchange looks with each other as if to survey the other's damage before they report that they were unscathed.

A "good" emits from his mouth after he hears the good news. He peers over his shoulder and shouts, "Yeah, everyone checks out fine."

A wave of relief washes over the others since it just reassure from when John ask them were the alright.

John quickly cast his sights in the direction of the mechanical contraption that was far different for their typical Archangels setup.

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Chris honestly admits after he narrows his eyes in on the church off to his left.

'_So he really is going through with his plan after all.' _Ceban considers as he watches his comrades dash inside of the cathedral.

1111

'_What strength!' _Jeanne silently thinks as she critically analyzes the intense aura that currently envelopes the green haired male.

'_Can Hao beat him when he's near death?' _ She ponders to herself since Hao was on the verge of near death.

A surge of resilience suddenly quells that thought since she was too familiar with how much power Hao is capable of whenever he faces a really strong opponent.

'_I never would have considered the docile Lyserg capable of such an intense intent to kill. It's almost borderline blood thirst.' _

"So the little rabbit finally bears its fangs." Hao dryly chuckles at the green haired male in front of him before his need for water stops him.

"Geez, the least you guys can do is give me some water? This is borderline _human _cruelty." He verbally complains with a visible smirk on his face.

Lyserg clenches his fist, grits his teeth together and utters, "You are the last person to be considered a _human_."

"You know that this won't be a fair fight." Hao abruptly mentions as he leisurely lifts his chain hands up to make an emphasis.

Lyserg's hands shoot forward until both of them rests on the bars of the cells when his hands glow a green color.

"Shut up!" he angrily shouts after he hastily draws the bars from their proper alignment and promptly steps inside of the cell.

"Sheesh…someone doesn't know how to control their anger." Hao mutters once he realizes that the young man stands over him.

He reaches out until his hands wrap around his collar and yanks him up to his level. "I'm going to wipe that carefree smirk off of your face!"

'_I can't just idly sit by and watch him being forcefully thrown about when he is in shackles.' _Jeanne thinks as her resolve solidifies after she observes Lyserg's cruel actions.

She clenches her fists, undoes the spell that she had Shamash to create, steps forward, and settles her fist against her hip.

Lyserg tosses Hao outside of the cell where the legs of his archangel Zelel was poise when a familiar feminine voice captures his attention.

"What do you think you're doing Lyserg?" Jeanne harshly questions as she closely hones in on the young man name Lyserg, whose back currently faces away from her.

'_Jeanne-sama was watching the entire time?' _he considers as his anger outweighs her opinion of him being a monster.

"I tried to be the best fighter out of the X-Laws so I could stand by your side to protect you. I trained hard because I knew that one day I would be able to fulfill that role." Lyserg honestly confesses his feelings to the silver haired woman in front of him.

"However, that all changed once you two saw each other at Yoh and Anna's wedding and it was as if you pushed me to the back of your thoughts."

"As much as you hated being near Hao, you never complained about his company better yet you seemed to rather enjoy his presence."

"When I saw how you two were so close with each other it just made sick that you could forgive such a cold hearted murderer!"

"You even allowed him to taint your thoughts when you threw that temper tantrum and ejected yourself from the limo. Not only that, but you even had the nerve to attempt to hitchhike just so you could get away from me."

"You _ran _away for me!" He shouts as he points to himself and then points at Hao, "You _ran _toward that demon!"

"He even massacred thorough of people and there you were throwing yourself at him as if you were some…common _whore_." He harshly states his opinion of the leader, who he truly admires.

A "smack" noise echoes in the cell as Hao lifts his head just in time to witness Jeanne slaps Lyserg across his cheeks.

"How dare you call me a _whore_!" she angrily snaps at the green haired male as she clenches her raise fist in attempt to stop her anger tirade.

"Have you quickly forgotten yourself, _little boy_?" Jeanne proclaims while she drops her hand to her side and glares at Lyserg.

"I am so sick and tired of you, Marco and the others trying to tell me how I should live my own life!" she gravely shouts before she drops her head.

"Hao has shown not only the utmost respect for me as a woman but as a fellow Shaman, who is capable of protecting themselves in a fight."

"…but no…you all are so stuck in your ways that you fail to notice this right?" She claims as she slashes her hand in front of her until it lands at her side.

"He gave me something that none of you wanted me to have and that was my freedom. So that's why…"

"_I'm going to be your opponent!_" she firmly proclaims after she directly points her index finger at the young man in front of her. Her sudden bold declaration abruptly leaves Lyserg in a state of shock since she was usually the calm leader.

"Jeanne…" Hao calls out her name and waits until her eyes lock on to his before he finishes up, "…I trust you."

A confident smirk stretches across her face after she listens to Hao vocalizes that he believes in her abilities to take down Lyserg.

"At first…I planned to elimante the source of the virus…." Lyserg mutters as he slightly tilts his head forward until his green bangs cover his eyes.

"…but then I got the best offer to _beat _it out of you! I shall return our leader back to her precious self!" he agrees to the proposition to fight Jeanne.

1111

Meene skids to a halt once she crosses the threshold of the cathedral and searches to her left then her right.

'_That archangel is in the center of the cathedral but there was little to no damage done to the front.' _She predicts exactly where the contraption was position.

"Hold on," Marco shouts as he passes through the front doors and catches up with Meene, who stands in the middle of the foyer of the cathedral.

"Marco!" "Meene!" The blonde pair rotates their heads in the direction of where they hear their name only to see Chris, John, Prof, Larch and Ceban run up to them.

"Where did you two go?" John inquisitively poses once he sees the other two members of the X-Laws stand in the foyer.

"You don't think Marco final took her out on a date?" Chris quietly whispers to Prof with his hand in front of his face.

Prof physically shrugs his shoulders up and down before Marco suddenly voices, "That doesn't matter right now."

'_I'll take his lack of expression when he answered as a no.' _Chris mentally contemplates to himself when Meene speaks up.

"We need to get to the dungeon immediately!" She suggests to the group as she withdraws her Luger from her side.

Meene faces Marco with a stern expression on her face when she states her demand, "Marco you need to take us there now!"

He merely pushes his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose since they nearly fell off when he chases after her from earlier.

"I guess it can't be help." Marco mutters to himself as he leads the group in the direction of where the dungeon was.

1111

Jeanne and Lyserg, who stands in front of his archangel Zelel, face off each other as they stare each other down.

Hao was off to side out of the two's way as he ponders to himself, _'Is this how Jeanne felt when she seen me fight?'_

"Shamash," Jeanne summons her guardian deity as he materializes at her side with an open book in front of him.

"What is it that you want…" It questions the master's reason as to why she calls it forward at such a time.

"Don't have time for questions." She cuts him off before Shamash could even finish the question. "I've challenged someone to a fight. So it would be best if you just obey."

'_That's not like you to randomly pick fights with someone.' _Shamash opts to use the telepathic connection that it has with its master.

'_Didn't I just tell you not to question me?' _Jeanne abruptly reminds her guardian deity of what she said earlier.

'_I guess that what happens when you hang around a demon such as Hao Asakura.' _Shamash assumes as the book closes and disappears from within view.

Hao watches as Jeanne ambles over to him, squats to his level with the same smile on her face, and says, "Let me see your hands."

He peers down at his hands and observes as she extracts a couple of screws from within the wooden slate.

'_Oh I see what she has planned for the little rabbit.' _ Hao realizes what her plans were in order to combat Lyserg Diethel.


	25. Chapter 25

"Lady Jeanne…" Lyserg suddenly speaks up after he closely watches the silver haired maiden exchange a few words with the prisoner.

"I do not wish to fight or harm a strand of hair on your head." He dutifully mentions once her sights instantly diverts back to him.

Jeanne simply narrows her sights in on the green haired young man in front of her when she calmly counters, "I know you did not expect me to raise a hand against you…"

"…however my pride will not allow me to just sit back and watch as you treat someone close to me in such an inhuman manner."

Lyserg cuts his eyes over to the brunette haired male, who appears rather unsettle at the fact that Jeanne plans to fight him.

'_As if that demon could ever understand the emotions of concern or compassion for another person,' _He inwardly assumes before he returns her sights on to his lady.

"You always have been noble with a sense of strong justice. Shamash is proof of that." Lyserg utters to her when he feels his anger dies down.

Jeanne grows sick of this false charade that Lyserg displays to her when she counters with, "Don't bother to try and say sweet nothings when I know that you are not being honest."

A malevolent chuckle emits from the green haired male as he covers the surface of his face with both of his hands.

'_There's something not right.' _Hao instantly notices as he closely studies the black furyouku that slowly emanates from Lyserg.

He then casually peers over in Jeanne's direction when his heart tightly clenches at the thought of the unknown that she was about to eventually face.

'_Is this how Yoh feels whenever Anna has to go out and fight?' _Hao inwardly wonders before Lyrseg's voice abruptly separates him from his mental thoughts.

A couple of "tsk" emits from the green haired male once he verbalizes, "Lady Jeanne, you have permitted that demon's charm to blind you."

Jeanne raises an eyebrow at his accusation when she was about to defend her position only to be cut off by him, "I shall rectify that little mishap."

"Morphine," Lyserg calls to his guardian when the archangel's arm speedily extends forward until it finally connects with the shackle Hao.

She swiftly breaks her focus from what was in front of her only to see the green haired male suddenly materializes in front of her.

"You should always keep your eyes on your opponent that is unless you want to die Lady Jeanne." Lyserg suggests with a confident smirk on his face as he speaks.

An ominous sensation unexpectedly strikes her body as she constantly peers from Lyserg to Hao, who was presently underneath the hand of the archangel.

'_Who has Lyserg become?' _she wonders to herself while she studies her opponent when she feels the nails prick the palm of her fist

1111

Marco and the other members of the X-Laws rapidly dash toward the entrance of the underground dungeon.

The sight of the open gate instantly causes Marco to stop at the sight and completely utters in disbelief, "That's not possible."

"What?" Chris asks since their blonde haired leader stops at the door to the dungeon when Meene questions, "What's wrong Marco?"

He reaches his arm out until his hand secures around the bar of the door and uses his strength to yank it wide open.

"This door only has two set of keys: one is mines and the other belongs Shamash." Marco divulges once he crosses the threshold of the door.

Prof lifts an eyebrow at the two names of the individuals that have a key when realization strikes him, "So that only serves to confirm that Lady Jeanne is in the dungeon along with Asakura, Hao?"

Meene simply refuses to allow another second to pass by, which could possibly brings Lady Jeanne closer to harm's way.

The others watch as the blonde haired woman proceeds forward with no hesitation present in her stride.

"Meene has the right idea." John agrees with Meene before he begins to trail behind his fellow comrade in arms.

Marco clears his throat before he consents to the idea, "We can't just sit here and discuss every little detail with each stop we make. We need to hurry up and secure Lady Jeanne as quickly as possible."

'_I still want to see where this new archangel came from.' _He inwardly considers after he swiftly closes the door behind him.

1111

"Any more signs of pain?" Anna curiously inquires to her husband since he was abnormally quiet for longer than usual.

Yoh peers up at his wife with tears that pool around his eyes, which sends Anna in to instant worry mode.

'_Are those tears?' _Anna wonders to herself when she notices a stream of tears down his cheeks.

"What's wrong?" she asks as she watches Yoh sniffles a little to himself before he raises his arm in front of his face.

He shrugs his shoulders up and down since his connection with his twin would often time produce some very odd and strange results.

Yet tears were extremely strange instead of the extremely intense pain he would feel whenever Hao was in absolute or extreme danger.

Anna allows a few seconds to past between the two just so he can settles himself for the conversation that is to ensue.

"I think Hao…" he pauses in order to sniffle when she questions, "What is it about Hao?"

Yoh finishes his previous statement with, "…is in trouble."

"When is he not in trouble?" Anna rhetorically questions almost with a roll of her eyes when she verbalizes his question.

He shakes his head left and right before he clarifies to his wife, "No, I really think he is in big trouble instead of being the trouble."

'_Hao is not the trouble for once. Could that even be possible?' _she inwardly ponders in disbelief at that idea.

"It's more along the lines that the connection that we have usually cause extreme pain whenever Hao suffers bodily harm or whenever I need to know where he is."

"Yet, this time instead of pain…" He verbalizes before he pauses for a few seconds then says "…it is this…" he points to face where the tears stream from his eyes.

'_The first time it was intense pain to the point his chest tightens and could not breathe…' _Anna recalls the usual symptoms behind the twin's connection with each other.

'_Now this time it is tears…'_

'_What the hell is going on?' _she wonders as she casts her sights to the sky in a random direction as she cradles her husband's head against her chest.

1111

"So what are your plans now Lady Jeanne?" Lyserg inquisitively wonders about the silver haired maiden's plan on whether or not she really wants to fight him.

She glances between Hao and Lyserg when she thinks to herself, _'I know he wouldn't die to such a childish act.'_

'_What do you plan to do Jeanne? Fight your comrade in arms to defend the demon or defend your comrade and leave the demon behind.' _Shamash questions Jeanne's resolve in the impending altercation.

Jeanne grits her teeth at Shamash's inquiry about her will to fight when she counters with, _'I defend those who have suffered injustice.'_

Her answer seems to garner a nod from the ancient white Babylonian God of Justice after he materializes at her side.

"Lyserg Diethel," she addresses the green haired male by his name, which causes him to straighten up his posture.

"You have committed a crime against humanity by being a bully of the weak and being abusive to the unfortunate." Jeanne outlines the allegations that she witnesses from a first-hand perspective.

Lyserg cocks his head at an odd angle, chuckles at Jeanne's words, and retorts, "So you plan to make me atone for _my _sins once you engage in some sins of your own with that devil?"

She narrows her sights in on him when she contemplates to herself, _'If I only had my mask then I could make Shamash grow to the size of that Archangel.'_

The sharp screws in her fists remain in her hands that she was not completely out of luck. _'I guess I will have to improvise as best as I can.'_

"This waiting game is getting way too boring!" He happily mentions before he properly aligns his head back to its original fashion.

"If you won't start then allow me the pleasure to rush you to your death, Lady Jeanne." Lyserg suggests before he dashes toward the silver haired woman with a maniacal smile on his face.

She patiently waits until he was really close before she hastily stabs Shamash in the arm with the three screws in her palms.

Jeanne calmly utters to Shamash, "Gibbet Cage", as the ancient relic suddenly materializes in to a large metallic cage that immediately ceases Lyserg's movements.

She mutters a "good" at the success of her attack as she runs around the cage and toward where Hao is.

"Hao," Jeanne repeatedly calls out the brunette haired male completely unaware of what happens inside of the cage.

"Oh Lady Jeanne," She unexpectedly overhears Lyserg's voice awfully close to her when she abruptly rotates her head to her right to see him unscathed.

He raises his right arm, flexes his right hand in and out of a fist, stares at Jeanne, and declares, "You have to do better than that."

Jeanne realizes that archangel that hoovers over them secure the cage within its clutches before it crushes the cage with its bare hands.

'_How could I have forgotten about that thing?' _ She inquires to herself when her opponent's voice surfaces her from her innermost thoughts.

"Now it's my turn," he claims with a smirk present on his face from anxious to unleash his attack on the silver haired woman.

Meanwhile with the X-Laws,

"I know we said no more question until we get there but…" John verbalizes while the X-Laws mobilize through the dimly lit labyrinth in the dungeon.

"Where did that new archangel come from? How did Lyserg come to possess such new technology?" he ponders out loud in the middle of their run.

His questions raise the level of their curiosity before they all start to ponder the same thing, except for their calm leader.

Meene notices that Marco remains silent to John's question, which prompts her to further probe him for the answers.

"Marco?" she addresses their _de facto _leader by his name as he continues to lead the group through the underground passage.

"Marco Lasso, you better supply an answer to these question or so help me God…" Meene threatens her fellow blonde haired companion.

Yet, Marco refuses to yield a response and instead ignores the woman's pitiful threat with the use of God against him.

"Hold up guys…" She orders the group to come to a halt as she extends her right arm out to keep them behind her.

"How can you expect loyalty and trust from us when you withhold the truth from us?" Meene dutifully questions with a totally solemn expression on her face.

Marco halts in the middle of his trot, faces his comrades, and studies the expression on every single one of their faces.

'_They are really serious about these inquire.' _He assumes as he peers down the end of the hallway where Hao and Lyserg could be at.

"What kind of a leader have you changed in to?" She poses the million dollar question that they would like to hear the answer to.


End file.
